


Mr Smith

by peggyrogers



Category: Conviction (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, History, More Chapters to Come, aaron smith is chris ok, he needs to become a physical character, hook ups, mentions of abuse, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-08-21 22:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 64,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8263204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peggyrogers/pseuds/peggyrogers
Summary: After Hayes Morrison reconnects with her ex boyfriend Aaron Smith with a hook up at her mother's fundraiser. She finds herself getting tangled once again with the media and the disapproval of her family, bringing back the memories that caused her to go down her self destructive past. (For those who don't know Aaron Smith is an off screen character made up by the show as Hayes's ex boyfriend. They used a picture of her and Chris so)





	1. Chapter 1

Hayes took a deep breath after her mother left her. She couldn’t cry. Not here, her eyes got a burning sensation as her eyes filled up. She took in a deep breath, shook her head and wiped her stray tear that ran down her cheek.

_Not here._

Hayes recovered her composure and walked back into the party. As she did. In walked Aaron Smith. _Oh jesus christ_ . Things have just gotten interesting, she never would have thought that her mother had invited him, especially since she expressed her feelings about him ever being with her as negative ones. She never approved of Hayes’s relationship with Aaron, it was intense. Heated. And messy. Well, the _heated_ part Hayes remembered well. They did it everywhere they saw fit.

Aaron hadn't seen her yet, so she took the time to look at what he was wearing. Grey suit that probably cost him a fortune, his hair was a little longer and _fluffier_ , he grew a beard again. Dammit. He knew how hot she found beards, but as always he’d tell her that he didn’t do it to get in her bed, which she found hard to believe. But the thing Hayes noticed most about him that was new was the new brunette he had on his arm.

Actors. They always have to walk around with some hot model beside them otherwise something would be seen as wrong with them for whatever ridiculous reason the media cooked up. Plus Aaron went through girls almost as much as Hayes went through guys. And the occasional girl. Aaron was different though, she actually felt something with Aaron. They were on and off like a bus. The media hammered them and it became too much which is why she pushed him away, they were similar in the sense that they pretended like they didn’t care.

Seeing Aaron with a girl didn’t hurt her, she wasn’t some pathetic teenager. She found it funny, it was funny that he rocked up to her own mother’s fundraiser with a girl by his side to try and prove some kind of statement. They were advised months ago to stay away from each other else chaos would break out, but Hayes like a little chaos. And she liked making Aaron sweat, in all kind of situations. So she stood there, she didn’t move a single muscle, she just waited till he saw her. In mid conversation with his new piece, she finally caught his eye. Hayes stared at him and raised her eyebrows to him, giving him a test on what he’d do.

Aaron just stared at her, with a small smirk on his face as his date was saying whatever the hell it was that she was saying. To be honest her voice went all blurry and faded. She looked _so_ good. Which was nothing new but every time he saw her it felt like it was. When his agent said that going here was good for him, it was one of the biggest events of the year right now. He wasn’t even sure she was going to show up. Hayes Morrison was unpredictable. Hayes Morrison was _dangerous_. Hayes kept the eye contact with him for a moment longer, looking at him with lust. On purpose of course to make him feel all hot and bothered and then looked away from him to talk to Conner Wallace. Something he knew she was doing to make him feel a hint of jealousy, but he knew she was playing a game. That two could play at. Hayes saw him in the corner of her eye, pull his date close by her waist as they mingled with some people. Looking like a perfect couple. It was all bullshit of course, Aaron isn't the committing type and if this girl thought she could change that then she was even dumber than she looked.

Hayes made her way to the bar and ordered herself a dirty martini.

“Scotch on the rocks, please” she heard Aaron say as he stood beside her. Neither of them looked at each other “Hayes”

“Aaron. What are you doing here?”

“To support your mother why else?”

Hayes laughed and shook her head “You’re full of shit. You’re here for the cameras”

“Don’t try and tell me you’re not” Aaron said, glancing a look to her. Hayes once again looked over her shoulder and said “So what’s the story with this one?”

“She’s a model” Aaron looked to her and laughed as he caught her mouth the words as he said them. He was too predictable. Aaron raised his eyebrows to her “You know her?”

“No I know you. I know you go for models like it’s a religion” Hayes said as she took the martini in her hand, with Aaron’s eyes still on her, he tilted his head to her “Really? What’s the excuse for you then? You’re not a model”

“Only by choice” Hayes said with a boosting smile to him. He stared at her and then let out a small fit of laughs “Ah I’ve missed you Hayes. I’ve missed your wit”

“Is that all?”

“Well no…” Aaron looked at her up and down, admiring every asset he could as she stood there in that dress and mumbled as he took his scotch “I can think of a few more things”

Hayes looked away from him and smirked “Well. At least you’re aware on what you’ve been missing out _on_ ” she raised an eyebrow to him and then walked away from him as he smirked again with his tongue sticking out in his cheek. He watched her walk away, he always watches her walk away. Aaron let out another muttered laugh to himself before taking a sip of his whiskey and cleared his throat “Ah Hayes” he looked at her some more, then looking straight ahead again he muttered “Good old fucking Hayes”

They’ve known each other for a long time, well over nine years now. He was a wild child in his youth much like her it was a surprise that their paths didn’t cross earlier on. Course they knew _of_ each other since they were both at the age of twenty at maximum. It was Aaron who pursued her. She was beautiful and wild. Which is just what he liked. But Hayes Morrison was not one for commitment and never has been. They’re relationship was full of sex and getting shit faced, it was a love affair alright, but not some Nicholas Sparks kind of love affair.

No matter who he dated or just slept with. They were never a patch on her. She was one of a kind. In every way.

* * *

Aaron returned to his date. She was nice, smiley and kind. Something that bored him. She was just a pretty face that his agent got so he’d still look like the bachelor that he was portrayed to be, and in a way he was. But he was much less of an ass than he was made out to look. Though Hayes would say he’s an ass no matter what. That’s what he liked about her, she didn’t bite her tongue. Jesus, he couldn’t stop looking at her, so much that it was beginning to become obvious to everyone in the room. Including her mother.

“Aaron” Harper Morrison walked over to him with a big and over acting smile on her face for the cameras, holding her arms up and putting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned forward and made a kissing noise as their cheeks pressed together on both sides.

“Harper you look brilliant as always, I see where Hayes gets it from”

“You say that _every time_ I see you” she said as she lightly punched his chest “No wonder my daughter kept going back to you”

He knew she was happy that it was over. Harper was one of the ones who expressed openly to Hayes on her disapproval. And Hayes would always tell Aaron when they had their drunken nights. Though that was now some time ago. But Aaron still smiled and lightly laughed, he then extended out his arm and brought his date closer “Harper this is Cassie Turner, Cassie this is Harper Morrison”

Soon enough, Cassie began to babble. That was something she was good for, trapping people into conversation with either starstruck rambling or questions. It was chance for him to sneak away. He put his drink on the tray of a passing waiter. He waited until Hayes stopped talking to her brother as she went to walk off, he took her hand and dragged her out of the party room to a private one down the hall. It wasn’t really an amazement that they weren’t caught, you wouldn’t believe how many times they snuck off at events such as these to hook up.

Aaron took them into what was practically a closet.

“Romantic” Hayes said bluntly in the darkness. Aaron flicked on the dim bulb. Aaron looked at her up and down again and put his hands on her waist, pressing her against the shelves. Hayes raised an eyebrow to him “You aren’t the cheating type”

“I don’t even know her” he laughed breathlessly “Met her twice before this. Agents y’know”

“Yes I do they told you to steer away from me”

“Yeah well that’s because you’re a dangerous woman” Aaron smirked as he looked at her up and down again. Hayes looked at his lips before saying in a mutter “You pull me into a closet to do whatever it is you think we’re going to do in the middle of my mom’s fundraiser?”

“Like you care about this...Hayes we’ve done it in the Oval office right on your daddy’s desk”

Hayes let out a breathless laugh and bit her bottom lip. That she remembers well. _Very_ well. She took her eyes back to him as she felt his hand to her his jaw, he was looking at her with those eyes. You know. Those eyes that tell her that he wants her right here, right now.

“It’s been too long, Hayes it really has” he leaned forward, putting his mouth against her ear and whispering “I’ve craved you for so long” his body pressed harder against hers, he kissed and sucked on her shoulder for a moment “I always crave you”

Aaron pulled away ever so slightly, with his nose lightly touching hers, he took a shaky breath and added “I know you crave me too”

Hayes had her mouth slightly open as it was hardly a centimeter away from his and looked into his eyes “You don’t know me”

“No one does. That's what so sexy about you” he whisper, taking his hot and heavy lips and clashing them against hers. Hayes brushed her tongue against his and gripped onto the back of his head. One she tastes him again, she can’t resist him. Hayes slowly bit on his lip as they caught her breath, she gripped onto his waist. He took hold of her wrist and held them up against the wall causing Hayes to hitch her breath, with her open mouth still against his and taking breaths before he put his lips back onto hers.

Aaron took his hands off her wrists and gripped onto the skirt of her dress, he gripped onto it and tried to pull it up. It was a tight fit and wasn’t that easy to do. He then went to her back. There was no zip. He pulled his lips off of hers and said “You couldn't have picked a more complicated dress if you tried”

“I wasn’t exactly expecting this to happen”

Aaron shook his head to her. Hayes then smirked and said “If you must know” she pushed as she pulled the skirt down and raised an eyebrow “It’s a half and half dress”

Aaron looked at her bare waist and put his hands on it with a smirk. He looked to her as she then took the top part of her dress off also. Now just there in her blood red laced underwear. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her body “Holy shit. I forgot how good this was”

Hayes nodded, she knew her body was great. She also knew his was too, Hayes wasted no time and pulled his jacket off of his body, it dropped to the floor. She tugged his tie off and quickly unbuttoned his shirt. Kissing his bare chest as soon she her eyes fell on it. She unbuckled his belt soon enough. Before they both know it, her arms were hooked around his waist. Then they were just...fucking against the shelf that was making implant marks into Hayes back, but she didn’t exactly care or even felt it. She was too busy with her nails digging and scratching down his back and biting down on his shoulder.

She liked it rough with Aaron. And it was mutual. He was nibbling on her ear lobe when he wasn’t groaning roughly into her ear and skimming his tongue against her neck before kissing it. Hayes hitched her breath over and over again with her mouth against his before throwing her head back and closing her eyes whilst he kissed her chest. She quietly moaned into his mouth. With her lips against his ear, she whispered to him “Is that all you’ve got?”

Aaron let out a breathless laugh and looked to her “You know it’s not”

"Come on then, baby" Hayes whispered and grinned. You would never find her calling anyone baby at any other time during sex. And it just motivated him. She gripped hard onto the back of his head, pressing their foreheads together as he picked up the pace. She wanted to scream, badly. But she kept it in by returning her teeth back into his shoulder and letting out muffled ones which just boosted up his ego, knowing that he is the best she will always have. But then again, it is visa versa.

There was much more of digging nails in back, sucking on parts of skin and biting and muffled screams. They wanted it to last forever. But eventually you have to give in.

“ _Hayes_ ” Aaron groaned in a releasing mutter.

Hayes breathed heavily against his neck, she pressed her nose against his jaw before placing a wet kiss on his neck as she kept her eyes open on him. She pulled her head back, still breathing heavily and she landed back her own feet and bit his lip again before whispering “Worth the chance of being caught”

“You’re damn right” Aaron whispered heavily before pressed her back against the shelf as he kissed her "I miss you"

Hayes pushed him back “I need to get back out there”

“You mean we’re not gonna cuddle?” He dryly teased as he handed her underwear and skirt. She snatched them off of him with a sarcastic amused face and got herself dressed again as did he. As Aaron buttoned up his shirt, he looked to her “So how’s this legal thing going?”

Hayes couldn't help but laugh “I just fucked you in a closet and you want to talk about my job?”

Aaron shrugged “Why not?”

Hayes rolled her eyes as she put her shoes back on “Well it’s going. That’s all I can really say. I don’t want it but life’s a bitch”

“Cocaine is a bitch, Hayes baby” Aaron said as he put his jacket back on.

“You know I hate you calling me that”

He smirked “I know”

Again she shot him a sarcastic amused look which caused him to laugh. Aaron fixed himself up and when they were both ready, he walked over to the door, but before he left, he turned to her and clashed his lips against again, getting a good grip on her backside and burying his face in her neck and he kissed it. That’d do him for the next few months. He rubbed his nose against hers and whispered seductively “See you at the next event, Morrison”

Aaron flashed her a smile and then opened the door and walked out of the closet. Hayes rested her hand on the handle for a moment, waiting a minute or so before she walked out, she let out a deep breath and couldn’t help but smirk and shake her head. She opened the door after a minute and walked back into the party.

And no one suspected a damn thing.


	2. Chapter 2

Hayes followed her mother into her own office, with her legal team returning into the boardroom. As soon as the door closed, Harper turned around to her and practically scowled “You had sex with Aaron Smith at my fundraiser!” 

Hayes’s jaw slightly dropped, she looked to the side and saw her team look at her. The walls were glass and not soundproof it doesn’t exactly keep things under wraps. As soon as they saw her looking at them, they looked away. Hayes grabbed her mother’s arm and turned them around so she had her back to them “Would you keep your voice down, mom. Please. This is my work” she sighed and tucked her hands into her pockets “Now how did you...how-”

“Did I find out? So you’re not even going to attempt in denying it”

Hayes looked away from her and heard her mother sigh and shake her head “Why, Hayes? Why him?”

Hayes laughed and shrugged “You invited him”

“I thought there would be some sense of self control. And I didn’t invite him, Jackson invited a handful of actors for press reasons...but he didn’t realise Aaron was in that handful. But the fact that the two of you-”

“How did you find out?” Hayes snapped.

“You thought no-one saw him drag you away from the party? Paparazzi was all over there, they and pictures of you going in that room with him and coming out of it a minute after he did to try and diverse”  

“Mom I-”

“I have told you about Aaron Smith. Hayes. I have told you what I think about him”

“Yeah because you’re a main reason as to why we broke up” Hayes snarled to her, after a brief moment of her silence she then said “He was the first and only man that I ever loved. But you didn’t care. You cared about  _ your  _ image. You didn’t try and stop the media from pressing things down onto us, if anything you encouraged it. You judged us again and again until we cracked and broke up”  

“He wasn't good for you, Hayes”

“No he wasn't good for  _ you _ ” Hayes looked away from her. She would not have this conversation here. Certainly not with her mother. Hayes scratched under her nose as held her hand up to her, then saying in a bitter laugh “I am not having this conversation here, I am not going to talk about who I chose to spend my time with. I’m my own person if you haven’t noticed. It’s my business. Is that all you came here to say or do you want to waste more of my time helping with this investigation”

Harper turned and looked around her office “I want to say one more thing. Job wise...I am proud of you Hayes for taking on this job”

Hayes hardly even knew what to say to that. It was a rarity that she heard such words come out of her mother’s mouth, though she never really did much to make her proud. Hayes cleared her throat and muttered weakly “Thank you…forgive me if I don’t believe you really came here to compliment me on my work. If you did you would have put that in first before your judgmental rant-”

“CIU is high profile. Jackson insisted I’d drop by”

“For the press” Hayes laughed.

“I also wanted to see you, I wanted to talk to you about what happened and the fundraiser and yes I wanted to see where you worked” Harper tilted her head to her daughter with a small smile and walked over to her, putting her hands on her arms briefly as she said “You’re doing good”

Hayes said nothing, she just looked to her mother and then stayed standing there as she walked past her and left the office. Trying to wrap her head around what had exactly just happened. She went from coming down on her like a ton of bricks about hooking up with Aaron Smith and then tried to say she was proud of her? No wonder she was so emotionally screwed up, she didn’t know whether to feel praised or scowled.

Hayes cleared her throat and stepped out of her office and into the boardroom, only to pop her head in and say “Give me two minutes” she pulled out before giving any of them the chance to argue against her that the needed to run through something. But there was nothing to go on right now. Hayes walked back into her office and took out her phone. 

_ “Well. I wasn’t expecting hear from you. You never call” _

Hayes scratched the back of her head “How bad is it?”

_ “How bad is what?” _

“Aaron. Cut out the bullshit I don’t have time how bad is the press about what happened at the fundraiser”

She heard him sigh and pick up what she gathered from the sound being a newspaper. After a moment of silence she heard him say  _ “It’s erm...it’s not that bad. They have nothing solid, Hayes”  _ she heard him drop the paper and add _ “Don’t worry about it” _

“My mom just came into my work like damn raging bull I figured it was out and everywhere”

_ “Oh it’s everywhere. But like I said it’s nothing solid. It’s narrowed down to speculation. If it helps fans on twitter like the idea” _

Hayes rolled her eyes and ignored his comment “I gotta get back. I just wanted...I don’t know to talk. To see how things were”

_ “Well don’t sweat it. You’re actually looking pretty good right now in the eyes of the press because of this job” _

“Yeah that’s what Jackson said”

_ “Well. Give em hell, I’ll sure to be hearing another one of your success stories in the news soon”  _ he paused as then said  _ “And when will I be hearing about you that isn’t press or work related?” _

Hayes hummed with an amused smile “Goodbye Aaron” she took her phone away from her ear and hung up. She just had to talk to someone that isn’t going to be judgemental or biased because of who she was or better yet who her parents were. With Aaron she could do that. She knows that he likes to chase her and if she said yes, he’d get back together with her in a heartbeat.

But she wasn’t saying yes. For multiple reasons.

* * *

Over the course of the next two days. Aaron was texting more often. She was surprisingly texting back. Normally he expect getting ignored, it seemed this new job was bringing out her softer side.

Before their hook up in the closet at the fundraiser. They spoke but not too much. Hayes was closed up and cold. She didn’t want to get too close to him. If anything, Hayes just used him for sex after their breakup. Not that he complained of course, it was the closest he was going to get to seeing her. Hayes was intoxicating to him. Any chance he had to have her he took with no questions asked. Plus she was amazing at the sex so that was a plus.

Jackson saw her phone light up as she dashed around his apartment, getting ready for another fundraiser.

“Why is Aaron Smith texting you?”

Hayes looked up from putting her shoes on and rushed over to the counter, snatching the phone away before her brother got his hands on it, she looked up him and said in a sigh “It was just about the other night”

“I still can’t believe you had sex in closet” Jackson muttered as he fixed up his tie.

“There’s been worse places” Hayes fired back to him.

“I’ll just take your word for it” Jackson turned to her and stared to her. Hayes looked up to him and rolled her eyes “ _ No _ ”

“I didn’t say anything”

“If you are wondering if something is going on between me and Aaron then the answer is no. He’s a friend-”

“And a booty call?”

Hayes rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. Because then she would be lying and Hayes has many flaws but being a liar was not one of them. She grabbed her purse and put her phone in there, but not before she text him back.

_ Aaron: Tonight? Want to preview the dress to me? _

_ Hayes: You think too highly of yourself if you think you’d be that much in luck. You’ll find what you need by a google search. _

She put the phone in her purse and looked to Jackson “Well. Let’s get this over with”

The rooftop party was a new scene for a fundraiser, well her mother’s standard anyway. Hayes kissed her mother on the cheek and felt being held for longer than usual by her mother just to get the right picture from the press. But she just had to smile and wave.  _ Smile and wave _ . And mingle which she hated. Pretending like she wanted to be there when of course she didn’t, there were a thousand things she could be doing right now. Well, there were a thousand  _ people  _ she could be doing right now by just a simple phone call. She was waiting to be approached by the press about what the rumours spreading about her and Aaron but they didn’t.

As her mother left her alone whilst texting Maxine about a new lead to the case, Jackson came over to her “Put that away, or you and mom are gonna be at each other’s throats again”

“We actually. Kind of had a nice moment when she came to visit my office after the rant about Aaron. Speaking of which did you have anything to do with me not being confronted about it?”

“Course I did. Can’t have all that happening here. What was mom doing at your office?”

“Because of you, mr campaign manager”

Jackson muttered a laugh and shook his head as he went to take a sip of his champagne “If I organised that, then trust me Hayes. Press would be all over that”

Hayes hitched her breath, she shook her head and walked away from him before he had chance to question it, Hayes politely pulled her mother away in front of her crowd.

“Jackson didn’t send you to CIU. Wallace did, he sent you to find out the case. To spy on me”

Harper cleared her throat and simply stated “He was right to be suspicious. He does know you”

Hayes bitterly laughed “No he doesn’t and neither do you. You came to my office, yelled at me like a child for actions...actions that...you  _ judged  _ me on. You looked at me and you scowled. Not because of what I did but who I did it with. And the the next half of that where you said you were proud of me was-”

“The truth. I am proud of you Hayes for your work”

“God. Are you ever,  _ ever  _ just my mother? Or is there always another angle?”

“Your father and I, made decisions to make big lives” Hayes looked away from her and practically zoned out. She had heard all of this before. It was the same old shit over and over again. She drew herself back in near the end of her saying “Being your mother is a luxury I’ve never had”

“You expect me to what? Pity you? Sympathise?”

“I was trying to be honest”

“No you were just trying to manipulate like you always do” Hayes got another text, Harper looked down to see who it was and then practically snapped her head back up “Hayes. Don’t you dare”

Hayes looked up to her and said “I’m sorry? Would that upset you?” there was a silence between them for a moment. Then her phone began to ring. It wasn’t Aaron. It was Sam, most likely with a lead.

Hayes made her way to the ground floor as Sam gave her the briefing. She soon got an idea for Brian’s evidence. She needed to get to the CIU, she came with Jackson and he wouldn’t budge. She didn’t even want to look at Conner Wallace nor have him near the case. Her thumb hovered over Aaron’s name till she sighed and called him.

_ “Well well well. As I live and breathe. Hey Aces. Having fun?” _

“I need you to come get me. Give me a ride to CIU”

_ “Should be a please in there somewhere” _

Hayes sighed “Please”

_ “Never heard you beg before. Kind of a turn on” _

“Aaron!”

She heard him laugh and get out of his chair  _ “Alright. Alright. Sit tight I’ll come and get you” _

Hayes hung up the phone and stepped outside of the building. She wrapped her arms around her body, she was cold up there but didn’t want to let it show. Now that she was alone she tried to warm herself up as much as possible because she was damn freezing. There was the beautiful sound of sight of nothing. No paparazzi’s. Nothing. What a blissful ten minutes it was till Aaron pulled up in his overly expensive car.

Hayes got in and said as soon as she did “Is your heater on?”

Aaron remained silent as he looked at her up and down and then muttered “Oh my god”

Hayes looked to him and rolled her eyes at him “You can have a proper look later can you please just get driving. God I also need to get warm”

“I can think of a few ways” Aaron smirked, then looked to her and held his finger up to then reach in the back, he grabbed hold of a blazer jacket he had from the night before and handed it to her “Here”

Hayes looked at him, then the jacket and then took it out of his hands “This feels too familiar”

She heard him laugh as he put his foot down on and began to drive her to the CIU building. He looked to her and saw the look on her face, he then grew genuinely worried “Hey. You okay?”

“My mom is a bitch” Hayes said, as if she was only self realising it “I mean I’ve always thought that but, she’s a real bitch” Hayes shook her head and looked to him “Did you know that?”

“For a while now, yeah” Aaron laughed “Your dad’s a dick too”

“Well the whole country knows that” Hayes muttered as she looked forward.

“What happened?”

“She just…” Hayes shrugged. She didn’t want to get into it “Doesn’t do anything as a mother. Only ever a public figure” 

He didn’t want her to be upset. He knew she was trying to play off that she wasn’t. But despite him going along with the whole ‘No one really knows me’ thing that she does. He did know her, more than she realised. And he knew that she just wanted her mother to  _ really  _ love her and  _ really  _ be proud. He’d tell her that he was proud, but then she would get all tense and distant. Plus that would be cheesy and not even he could handle that.

* * *

It didn’t take long for them to get to the CIU. Aaron sat back in his car and said “Want me to stay out here? Drive you home?”

Hayes gave him a tight smile and nodded “Thanks, Aaron”

Aaron smiled and nodded. He watched her get out the car. Keeping his jacket on and went into the CIU.

Hayes got out of the elevator and rushed in, they all looked up to her. Tess couldn’t help but say “You look amazing”

Hayes nodded and said as she scratched the back of her head “Thanks”

“That jacket’s a little big…” Maxine said slowly to raise suspicion. Hayes looked at her with her jaw slightly dropped and said “Well...baggy clothing is comfortable”

“Right”

Maxine wasn’t buying shit. But she didn’t exactly care about what Hayes may or may not have been getting up to before she stepped in here. Hayes went behind Sam and Tess, asking them to play the video of Brian, she felt like she had something on him now from what she saw at the fundraiser. She got them to pause at his wrist.

“Zadie and her coworker were at a mardi gras night before she was attacked”

“They were handing out beads” Maxine caught on.

“You think Brian took those from Zadie like stealing his foster sister’s shirt?” Sam ask, looking to Hayes “If he did. We might have just found our proof”

They all turned their heads back onto the screen. Maxine scratched her forehead and then looked at her watch “We should wrap this up, it’s almost twelve. We’ll carry this on tomorrow cause I don’t know about you guys but I am wiped”

“Me too” Tess yawned.

Hayes put her hands in the pocket of the jacket and felt a piece of paper inside of it. She took it out and saw it written  _ ‘Arsenal bar. 830 5th Avenue (In case Hayes needs you)’  _ this jacket wasn’t one he had from the night before, it was the jacket he was wearing when she told him where the bar was tonight. He must’ve forgotten that he kept it in there. She found herself smiling, like really smiling.

Hayes looked up to them all and nodded “See you guys tomorrow”

She rushed out of the boardroom, into the elevator and pressed on the button hard, feeling it would make it go quicker. When they opened, she got out of the building and straight into the car.

“Alright. So I’ll drive you home-”

“I don’t want to go home” Hayes breathed heavily as she gripped onto the back of his head and leaned forward, clashing her lips onto his. He was taken back of course, but it doesn’t take him long to sink into a kiss from Hayes Morrison. He put her hand to the back of her neck and then took a breath “Hayes what-”

“I don’t want to go home  _ alone _ ” she clarified, gripping onto his sweater “I want you” she whispered, putting hand south and added “Every part of you”

Aaron groaned and brushed his tongue against hers. Gripping onto her waist and pulled her close. Hayes bit his lip and whispered with a smirk “Take me home. And fuck me”

He kissed her roughly and then turned his head to turn the engine back on whilst she attacked his neck with her lips. If she did anything more than that then he may have ended up losing control of the car and himself. But he kept his composure.

They pulled apart when they got inside the building and then went straight back into it as soon as they got in the elevator that takes them straight into the apartment. He cupped her breast as he pushed her against the wall of the elevator. Luckily there were no cameras in here else they’d be screwed. Hayes took his hands and put them on her ass. She rather him cup that instead of her chest. Hayes put her hands under his jumper and scraped her nails around his back to his waist. The doors opened and they stumbled backwards, still in a deep and rough kiss. Hayes kicked off her shoes as he took off the jacket from her shoulders and tossed it on the touch.

They got to the door of her room, as Hayes opened it from behind, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, with one arm wrapped around her for support, his other went to the door and turned as he closed it now in the room, her back pressed against the door.

“Hayes-”

“Don’t talk” Hayes whispered, taking her lips back onto his, she then broke away for a split moment and whispered “Just take me”

Aaron rested his hands on her waist and carried her over to the bed, dropping her down and hovering over her. Looking into her eyes. Hayes caught her breath as he did so, he then looked at her body as his hands roamed over it. He turned her around and pulled down her zip all the way, then turning her back and taking it off. She actually liked it when he took control like this. Aaron stared at her toned stomach with his hands just above the waistband of her underwear and pressed his lips down onto it, above her bellybutton. Hayes arched her back and ran her fingers through his hair as his tongue travelled up her stomach. His face buried in her chest.

Aaron brought his head back up to her and whispered as he stared at her lips that wettened by her tongue running along them “It’s funny. I haven’t seen you for months and we’re here again within the space of two days”

Hayes looked to his eyes and whispered in an insanely seductive manner “What can I say?” she viciously pulled his sweater off of his body and ran her hands down his torso, looking back into his eyes she added “I crave you too”

Aaron lowered himself down, resting on his arms, he rubbed his nose against hers “I know, baby”

Hayes stared at him again, she spun them around so she was now on top of him and pulled his lips back onto hers, kissing him roughly again and bucking her hips against him. Making him groan, she opened her eyes as their tongue stroked together and closed them again, bucking her hips against and then wedging her hand in between their bodies and tugging on his pants.

Soon they were off, Hayes could scream this time there was no-one but Aaron to hear hear. Hayes threw her head back for a moment, still on top, then pressed her forehead against his and moaned “ _ Fuck _ ”

She panted in his ear and then giggled “Fuck”

Aaron fisted her hair. Which she  _ loved _ . Hayes’s panting now went near his mouth, as their tongues met before their lips did. His hands spread over her bare back, rubbing it and then holding onto her waist. Hayes then suddenly took hold of one of his hands and linked it in hers. Looking at him in the eyes as she did so, saying nothing and showing no solid expression and then carried on kissing him.

* * *

After they were done, they lay there in bed. Hayes told him that he could stay for the night. He was reserved about it at first because of her brother but he wanted to stay with her. As she sat up in bed, checking through her phone. Aaron sat himself up and kissed her shoulder from behind, resting his chin on it. She looked up and said “ I have to go to prison tomorrow”

“What a surprise” Aaron muttered, kissing her neck. 

“To talk to this kid who may be responsible for the brutal attack on our current victim”

Aaron looked to her with concern and asked “Is he dangerous?”

“No. Well yeah but” she turned her head to him and raised her eyebrows at him “Are you worried?” she laughed.

“Shut up” Aaron denied, looking away from her “Just wanted to know more on the case that’s all. Not everything is about you”

Hayes gripped onto his cheeks and gave him a wet and brief kiss “Oh yes it is”

Aaron took her phone out of her hand and tossed it to the side, he pulled her back down onto the bed and softly demanded “Just forget about work for one minute. Please. Get some sleep for tomorrow”

Hayes looked at him to deny, but she was tired and he was right. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, with Aaron stroking her arm. He stared at her and watched her drift off. And when it got to the point where she was fast asleep. He kissed her cheek, softer and in a more tender tone, then looked at her and sighed, shaking his head and whispered “Why can’t I stop loving you, Aces?”

He lay on his back and let out another sigh, resting his hand on her waist. Aaron then too closed his eyes.

* * *

The next night. Aaron was at a bar in downtown Manhattan. Hayes asked which bar, he told her and she came in. She had just come back the national library where reporters were trying to get a rise out of Zadie. Seeing the way they treated her made her sick. She was already pissed from being in Conner Wallace’s office, briefly confronting him about getting her mother to spy on her along with a sexual tease. She knew how badly he wanted her, hell everyone knew it. And she liked to keep him on his toes.

She saw Aaron easily and came and sat next to him, he jumped at her quick appearance and then smiled “Oh hey. Heard about your case. Good stuff”

He then looked to her “What’s eating you?”

“I hate reporters” Hayes said, closing her eyes and shaking her head “Assholes. All of em. I’ve bedded a few snakes in my time but I wouldn’t touch one of them with a ten foot pole”

Aaron muttered a small laugh and then said “You know there are reporters around here right now?”

Hayes shrugged as she rubbed her wrist, it was still sore from earlier on today. Aaron looked down at it and gently took hold of it, he lifted it up and saw the bruising. He looked up to her and mumbled “That guy did this?”

“Leave it” Hayes whispered, taking her arm away. Aaron shook his head “This is why you going to places like that is a bad idea. You can handle yourself sure but you’ve never been a stranger to being hurt. I thought seeing bruises on you was over”

“Shut up, Aaron” she snapped in a whisper, he looked to her and argued back “I care”

“Well don’t!” it was silent as she stared at him and then added on “I don’t want you to care about me, I don’t need saving”

“No you don’t but you do need someone to look out for you”

“I have Jackson for that”

Aaron shook his head and sighed “Come on Hayes. Your brother is stuck between you and your mom he always has been. He may have your back but he will always be on two sides”

“And I should what? Be grateful to have you? _ Hollywood hunk  _ by my side? That ended years ago”

“Because of  _ her _ ”

“No Aaron because of me!” she leaned forward and spoke in a more quiet voice “I’ve told you time and time again. It was on me. I was drained everyday by the baggage our relationship brought, I’m sorry I broke but that’s all it was”

She was lying. In a sense that is. She thought she was telling the truth, she really believed she wanted it to end and it was her choice but it wasn’t. This was all the brave front that she had been putting on for the past five years. She had been in trouble before Aaron, but after him was when she totally just thought _ fuck it _ and went on self destruct mode. 

Aaron stared at her and shook his head as he muttered “You’re completely delusional, Ace”

“Ace” Hayes laughed, shaking her head she snapped back “And what are you? The king of hearts”

“Least mines still in tact. Yours shut down some years ago”

Hayes laughed again, more angry and bitter, she grabbed her bag and snarled “Fuck you, Aaron”

Aaron sighed and went to take hold of her hand “Hayes-”

“ _ Don’t! _ ” she threw her hand away and carried on walking, Aaron stood up from his stool and called her again “Hayes!” he then saw the flash of paparazzi lights hit him, they would spill this everywhere. Aaron looked away “Shit” he smacked his hand on the bar and sat back down. 


	3. Chapter 3

Before Jackson headed out of town. He landed the magazine in front of Hayes on the breakfast counter in the kitchen that she was sat at with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other. It was a gossip magazine that she tends to avoid but when Jackson see’s her on the front cover, he can’t help but let her be aware what she’s been dragged into now.

It was a pap shot of Hayes throwing her hand out of his after their bust up from the bar last night. They must have gotten straight to their little holes and printed this out.

“Hot of the press” Jackson said “ _ Lovers Tiff? Aaron Smith and Hayes Morrison caught in a heated spat. Is this the sign of a secret break up between the rekindled lovers” _

Hayes rolled her eyes and pushed it away “It’s all crap”

Jackson didn’t deny that. He knew how much magazine like to stir up fake stories, but you can’t make up that photo, he looked to her and tapped on the picture “So what’s the story behind that?”

Hayes shrugged and waved her hand to it “It was just a disagreement we had. He didn’t like the thought of me in the jail’s with  _ dangerous  _ men cause…” she stopped herself and shook her head “Cause of the crap that I had to deal with when younger. You know, when the odd guard at the house got  _ too  _ strict”

Jackson sighed and looked away. They’d all rather forget about the crooked and corrupt guards that their father hired. Hayes sighed and put her plate and mug in the sink “You know what me and him are like we just get all heated-”

“In every way” Jackson muttered, Hayes shot him a semi amused glance and then looked away “I said things. He said things and I walked off” she strummed her fingers on the sink and shrugged “End of story. Same old same old”

She walked over to the couch and laid herself down on it. She would be going into work later on this afternoon, for now she had the morning off. Jackson looked to her and watch her ponder in thought, he then saw that there were various texts and missed calls from Aaron on her phone.

_ ‘Are you okay?’ _

_ ‘Hayes come on.’ _

_ ‘Last night was stupid are you really gonna ignore me?’ _

_ ‘I’m not going to be a little lapdog Hayes. But I do want to talk to you’ _

**5 missed calls.**

Jackson picked up it and walked over to her and tossed it on her lap “Maybe you should actually talk to him”

Hayes couldn’t help but laugh and muttered “Since when did you care about whether I talk to Aaron Smith or not”

“I’m not saying you should jump into bed with him. But get back on mutual to stop you from moping”

“I’m not” Hayes sighed as she looked down to her screen. Still deciding to ignore it, him and the whole situation for that matter. She had bigger things to deal with. Such as another event that she had to attend to tonight. It wasn’t for her mother’s campaign. But she was still asked to go to represent it so it may as well be. Anyone and everyone will be there, if Aaron had some sense though, he wouldn’t show. So it was most likely that he would be showing.

“How long are you out of town for this time?” Hayes called to him as he cleaned himself up in the bathroom.

“Just about three days, maybe four” Jackson walked out of the bathroom and poked the back of her head as he passed her “Don’t miss me too much”

“I’ll do my best” Hayes looked to him and then turned on the tv. Seeing a gossip channel having that paparazzi picture spread all over it, she quickly turned it back off and went into her bedroom for a lie down.  

* * *

Aaron fixed up his tie in the reflection of the glass. Looking out to the gathering of reporters trying to snap a picture of every  _ famous  _ person there was that arrived. 

Then he saw her. Hayes got out her limo in a navy blue dress with her hair swept up. Aaron pinched his eyebrows together as he put his hands in his pockets and stared at her, letting out a small whisper of “God…”

How did he ever let that go in the first place.

Aaron made his way downstairs to see her, hoping that she would see him and actually talk to him. He hadn’t quite been able to forgive himself for what happened the other night. He would go outside and catch her before she saw bumped into him. But then he stopped when he saw Conner Wallace walk over to her. His hand smoothing on her back as they got a picture together, probably whispering sweet nothings to her. Wallace had wanted her for years now. Even when she and Aaron were together he was trying to win her over.

Hayes and Conner walked further down the carpet together, when they did. Hayes looked up and saw Aaron looking at her through the glass wall. She could tell that he wanted her to come to him, but there was no chance in that happening. She turned with Conner and continued to talk to the press. Aaron bowed his head and looked away. Chuckling to himself and then taking a glass of champagne from a waiter and cleared his throat “Fucking hell”

He was in for it tonight, and unlike last time. He doubt he’d get such a happy ending. But she had to be done with the press and step in eventually. And when she did, he got to her through a crowd and stood with her as she was in a corner “What are you doing, Hayes? Tryna make me jealous? What?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about” Hayes shook her head with a cold look. Aaron frowned to her and nodded to Conner from the side “Bringing Conner Wallace as your date. Really? Of all the  _ people t _ hat you would have brought, you brought him”

Hayes smirked and shook her head “I’m sorry. But am I talking to someone different here or are you in fact Aaron Smith? The man who will just about fuck any model that knocks on his door. Besides I didn’t know that you were going to be here, I thought you’d stay clear”

“I came here to talk to you since you wouldn’t return my calls”

“Stalking is a crime you know”

Aaron shook his head to her “No. Hayes. Stalking is leaving dead kittens in front of your door step, I just showed up here to talk to you and try and work things out”

“There’s nothing to work out”

“The other night-”

Hayes shook her head to him “Aaron, I  _ don’t  _ care”

Aaron leaned forward and whispered “You are one of the best goddamn liars I have ever met, y’know that? But you’re transparent to me”

“Really?”

“Yeah”

“Did you know that I was wishing you were seriously injured right now?”

“I got a vibe” Aaron said as he stood up straight. Staring at her and then shrugging “I just wanna talk. About the other night, bout us”

Hayes laughed “There hasn’t been an us in years”

“Even as you say that. You know it’s a load of bullshit, Hayes”

“Next thing you know you’ll be saying I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you” she then mocked a quiet gasp and whispered “Oh wait”

Aaron remained silent and just silently sighed at her. Hayes looked at him up and down and then back into his eyes “You can go home now, Aaron”

She walked away before giving him the chance to ask her to stay. Rubbing the back of his neck, he walked away and over to the bar. Well that was a disaster. Aaron walked over to the bar, he could do with a hard drink right now. He heard a guy clear his throat beside him. Aaron stood up from leaning down “Wallace”

“Aaron” Conner said, looking to him “You can call me Conner you know”

“I know” Aaron said bluntly as he passed the the bartender a five dollar bill. Not looking at Conner still, he put his hands down on the bar “Bet you’re loving this aren’t you. Her not talking to me. It’s like I’m out of the way or something”

“Out of the way of what?”

Aaron raised a brow to him “Even when I was in the way you were still trying to worm your way to Hayes. I mean, trying to be some kind of potential love interest for her. Come on Conner, how desperate are you?”

“Says the guy who clearly showed up here just to talk to her…” Conner smirked as he took a sip of his drink “Though, Hayes did always like that intensity about you huh?”

Aaron then smirked and shook his head “Nah, Wallace. Hayes didn’t like me, Hayes loved me. Though that’s something you can’t say for yourself can you?”

Conner sighed and cleared his throat “Look who’s she’s with tonight though”

Aaron didn’t want Hayes to sound like some kind of prize. But he couldn’t help but point out facts to Conner that made it seem like he was. Aaron chuckled “Yeah. And that’s all you get. All you get in this, the flashing lights and the political parties. You get to walk her down a red carpet. But you’ve never been able to do the one thing that you’ve always wanted to do. You’ve never been able to walk her to your bedroom door”

“True. But at least I’ve not fucked that chance up for good”

Aaron laughed “Okay, Wallace, whatever makes you sleep better at night” Aaron stood up straight to walk away, he leaned to Conner and then whispered “I have fucked in the Oval office though”

He patted Conner’s shoulder roughly and then walked away with a smug smirk still on his face.

After a while, he thought it best for him to leave. He wanted Hayes to enjoy herself not be all annoyed at the fact that he was there. Before leaving, he walked over to her one last time, tucking his hands in his pockets. He turned his head to her ever so slighty, she wasn’t even looking at him, he clarified what she mocked before “You are”

Hayes looked to him “What?”

“You know what”

Hayes looked at him, right in his eyes and saw the genuine look on his face. Aaron didn’t add anything more on, he leaned forward and lightly kissed her cheek. Surprised that she even let him. He cleared his throat and muttered “Have a fun night, ace”

He walked away and left the event, with her watching him as he did so. The guy came in here on his damn motorcycle. Only Aaron Smith would show up to a charity event in a $2000 suit on a motorcycle. Hayes watched him drive off and then returned to mingling. Though she didn’t stay long herself really.

* * *

_ “Hayes just calm down” _

_ “Calm down? Look at this!” Hayes threw the magazine at Aaron was she paced up and down his apartment. Aaron looked down to it and sighed “Baby I know but these kind of tabloid storylines are bullshit-” _

_ “I don’t care, Aaron I don’t care! I’m plastered as someone I’m not every damn day!” Hayes ran her fingers through her hair and muttered “Because of this” _

_ Aaron looked up from the magazine “This...you mean us?” _

_ Hayes looked to him and remained quiet. Aaron pushed the magazine off of his lap and stood up to walk over to her “Hey, hey. Come on, this is just” _

_ “The final straw” Hayes whispered. Hayes shook her head with tears in her eyes “I can’t do this anymore” _

_ “Hayes don’t-” _

_ “There is nothing left in me to do this. They pick me apart every week. They will never leave us alone” _

_ “So your solution is to end it?” Aaron scoffed, he shook his head “Hayes I love you” _

_ Hayes looked away from him and put the palm of her hand to her forehead, taking in a deep breath. She rubbed her lips together and looked back to him “I love you too. But it isn’t enough” _

_ “Hayes” _

_ She stepped forward and cupped his face, pressing her lips against his for a long, tender moment. She pressed her forehead against his and felt a tear run down her cheek “I’m sorry” _

_ Aaron wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight, she nuzzled her face into his neck and heard him say “I’m sorry too”  _

_ Hayes gripped onto him tighter as she suddenly understood what she was doing “I don’t want to let you go” she cried, gulping heavily she said “But I feel like I don’t have a life anymore. I feel trapped, under the media and my mother” _

_ “I understand” Aaron muttered, kissing the top of her head. _

_ Hayes gripped onto the back of his head and kissed him. With tears still running down her cheeks, she then sobbed “Aaron” _

_ “You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. But hey, one thing I promise you now Hayes, baby, I’ll always be here for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need. I’ll be there” he put his hand on her cheek and whispered “And I’ll wait for you, forever if I have to” _

_ Hayes knew in that moment. She will never love anyone ever again. _

And that thought still stands to this day. Hayes snapped out of her memory as she arrived outside of Conner’s apartment. Now she remembered why she was there. She was pissed at him. She had just learned about the illegal search he ordered in Landon, her knew case studies apartment for terrorism evidence. It was a corrupt way of going about it and could cause a retrial.

She marched in the apartment and ranted to him like there is no tomorrow. Conner listened all of it up to sitting down on the arm chair “The problem was solved the system worked. You need to walk away!”

“The illegal search did not contribute in anyway to Landon’s arrest?”

“No”

Hayes looked away from him and put her hand on her forehead “This is why you were certain that Landon’s conviction would stand”

“You couldn’t leave it alone. I was trying to protect you”

Hayes scoffed. She has heard this type of bullshit before and it came from him before. There wasn’t even anymore she had to say to him “Neither the new or old me needs protection”

“Why is it impossible for you to trust me? And coming in like this, acting this way. What's going on with you?”

Hayes remained silent and then said “You-”

“Oh no” Conner shook his head, standing up “You don’t get to put this on me. We both know this isn’t about me. This is about Aaron. It always is. You get hostile and cold when you have a run in with him, you can’t think straight when he comes back. He’s your weakness and you know it”

“Is that what I know? I know that what I am feeling in my personal life does not come into my work-”

“Even now you’re trying to constantly challenge people into just admitting something. Whether it’s on cases, relationships whatever it is you just can’t do it. You freeze yourself out from anyone and everyone”

“And that’s someone how narrowed down to Aaron? Are you really that degrading?”

“I’m saying this because I’ve seen this before. In chicago”

Hayes hitched her breath and grumbled a bitter laugh as she looked away from him. She rubbed her lips together and heard him say “You got yourself fired from Chicago because things were going well for you and you felt like you didn’t deserve it. They were going well for us-”

“There was  _ never  _ an us”

“No. No you’re right there wasn’t because you were trying to get over Aaron and you know what Hayes? You’re  _ still  _ trying to get over Aaron”

Hayes stared at him, she gulped heavily and shook her head “It just shows. When you’re in the wrong, you have to get personal to continue the argument. I am just doing my job”  Hayes turned around and walked out of his apartment without letting him say a single word more. She’d heard enough bullshit for one night.

* * *

Aaron hadn’t heard from Hayes. Not at all. The last time he spoke to her was the party. So he was extremely surprised when he got a call from her. 

“Did you mean to call me?” he asked her.

Then hearing her sigh  _ “Can I come to see you?” _

“Are you okay?”

_ “Aaron. Please”  _ she sounded exhausted and truly spent. He would never turn her away. He promised her that he’d be there for her no matter what and he was a man of his word despite what Hayes might think of him right now. But it seemed she must depend on only him right now, last resort or not. He had to respect that.

“I’ll buzz you in” 

_ “Good. Cause I’m right here” _

He heard his apartment bell ring and he buzzed her in straight away. Aaron opened the door and saw how tried she seemed. Hayes sighed and didn’t look at him when she walked forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. It surprised him to say the least, he can’t remember the last time she hugged him. It might have been since their break up actually. Before she built that wall around her heart. Aaron put his arms around her and rubbed her back as he closed the door with his foot, resting his chin on her head he muttered “You okay?”

“You got whiskey?”

Aaron huffed a small laugh and pulled back “You know I do, come on, Ace” he rubbed her back and walked ahead of her to the kitchen. Hayes followed and sat on his couch, resting her feet on his coffee table. Aaron poured the drinks and looked to her “So?”

“Sorry I barged in on you. Jackson has a thing out of town and I had to speak to someone”

“I didn’t even know we were speaking at all anymore” Aaron said as he walked over with the drinks. Hayes let out a tired moan and took the glass out of his hand “It isn’t the first time we’ve done this now is it?”

“True. You do tend to push away being pissed at me when there’s no one else to run to”

Hayes smiled to him “The full Hayes Morrison effect”

“I love the Hayes Morrison effect” Aaron said as he sat next to her and watch her take a drink of the whiskey, leaning on his elbow towards her he asked “Rough day at work?”

“Had the whole team turn against me. The case is controversial. The man who may be innocent of this crime is still evil. It’s just a moral thing. I mean, I could just drop it and move onto a next one”

“Come on Hayes you’re not gonna do that and you know it. You’re too curious” he smirked to her “And you like to make sure there is solid justice no matter what the accused is like. I’m sure you can figure something out”

“I appreciate the pep talk” Hayes sighed as she sunk into the couch. Aaron looked to her drink and said “It’s the best I can do right now. I’m no superhero”

“You’ve got the body for one” Hayes muttered. She then looked to him and saw his smirk. Aaron put his drink on the table and rubbed his hands together “Hayes-”

“Please don’t say it”

“Don’t say what?”

“What you’re going to say”

“You don’t know what I’m going to say”

“You’re transparent to me too, Aaron” Hayes said softly. She shook her head and whispered “I already know. Just please don’t say it” she put her hand on his and tilted her head. Hayes leaned forward to him and whispered “Thank you...and I’m sorry”

Aaron’s eyebrows pinched together, Hayes put the glass on the table and rested her head back next to his and looked at him in the eyes as he said “For what? On both parts”

“Thank you for sticking to your promise and waiting for me...and I’m sorry that I can’t give you what I used to be able to give you”

“Hayes” Aaron muttered.

“Mm-hm”

“Shut up” He whispered, making her let out a genuine and breathless laugh as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and rested it against hers as he muttered “For the record. I never wanted you to  _ give  _ me anything. I just wanted you. You would always just be enough”

Hayes lifted her head up and looked to him as she rubbed her lips together and hummed. Aaron nudged his forehead against hers for a moment and whispered “Swear”

Hayes quickly kissed his nose and nodded “I know. But I’m still sorry...I can’t”

“Shut up” he whispered which made her lightly chuckle again. A sound that he would listen to forever “You don’t ever have to apologise to me, Hayes” he tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down to the couch “Ever”

Hayes put her hand on his cheek and stroked it. Her fingers resting under his ear. Where the tattoo of the letter  _ ‘H’  _ lay. They stayed there in silence for a moment, Hayes then shuffled her body close to him and he took hold of her. Resting her back against his stomach, with their fingers linked together. Sometimes it wasn’t always about sex. Sometimes she let her guard down to him every once in awhile, like tonight. They began to talk about Hayes’s new persona in the media, that was down to her mother and Conner, both looking down at their hands. Aaron laughed “It’s like a carbon copy version of you but a goody two shoes version”

“I know it makes me want to throw up every time I see an interview”

“Bet your mom loves it though”

“Bout time she loved something I did. I mean she hated you”

Aaron laughed. He was okay with it. The feeling was mutual. Aaron then raised a point “Your dad liked me”

Hayes let out a breathless laugh “My dad liked everyone. And everybody  _ loves  _ my dad. Especially the cute...young…”

Aaron turned his head and saw the expression of realisation grow on her face, she squeezed her body with his arms around her to try and grab her attention “What is it?”

Hayes sat up. With her jaw slightly dropped “I have to go”

“You have to go? Where?”

“I just...figured something out I….” Hayes grabbed her purse and then turned to him. It was down to him technically, he brought her dad up. She grinned and kissed him lightly and quickly to show her gratitude “What would I do without you, Mr Smith”

“I don’t know” Aaron chuckled, still completely confused.

“I’ll call you”

“I’ll hold you to that” he watched her get off of the couch and quickly head out to the door.

* * *

Hayes got home to her empty apartment. At least it will be until tomorrow morning when Jackson gets home. She had been to see Conner, to apologise for the things she said as then he apologised for the things that he said, that he was a jerk and didn’t mean anything. 

She regretted kissing him. As soon as she grasped what she was doing she pulled away and got out of there. Technically she had no solid loyalty to Aaron, they weren’t back together and were completely single and free to do whatever they want and kiss whoever they want. But she just felt wrong, especially since last night she had one of the nicest moments she had ever had in god knows how many years. She didn’t want to ruin that, she didn’t want to ruin what she had with Aaron even though it wasn’t anything to put a stamp on, but he was always there for her and she knew that he still loved her and she also knew that if he found out about this kiss after they had the talk they had last night then he would be so crushed.

It was him she wanted to kiss tonight, not Conner. As far as her mind was concerned, that kiss did not happen. It was now officially erased. Hayes got out her phone to call him, but saw that she had a text from him first.

_ ‘Turn on the news. I’m on Conan but I swear I am getting to you as fast as I can’ _

Hayes looked at the message, both confused and now nervous. She walked over to the coffee table and picked up the remote. Turning on the TV.

_ “It’s a breaking scandal. You’ll see security camera footage. Former first daughter Hayes Morrison confirming with her long time friend, District Attorney Conner Wallace. Inside sources have told me that Wallace let Morrison off the hook after she was picked up with cocaine in her purse. Rather than charging the former first daughter with possession. Wallace rewarded her with a sweetheart deal to run the CIU” _

Hayes dropped the remote and stared at the screen but felt like she could no longer hear it. It had all come crashing down already. She was exposed, her reputation was tainted once again and this time she actually wanted to stay on the media’s good side. It was nice.

While it lasted.


	4. Chapter 4

Hayes sat there on the sofa with a glass of whiskey in her hand and the bottle on the table. She stared down to the glass and sighed. She was just waiting for Aaron to show up now, he promised he wouldn't be long. She needed someone right now with this getting out. Her job might be over. 

The elevator doors opened, by the noise of heels she presumed this wasn’t Jackson. Hayes looked up and saw her mother walk through, Hayes cleared her throat and put the glass on the table and clasps her hands together “Is there going to be an I told you so? Because if there is please spare me”

Harper sighed and walked forward “Are you alright?”

“Fine”

She sighed “There's a reason I tried to keep such a tight lid on this, for what was best for  _ you _ ”

Hayes looked away from her and shook her head as she looked down at the floor “And you know what’s best for me do you?”

“I’m your mother it’s my job”

“My mother? I’m just trying to keep up so you are here as my mother? Or is there press outside to portray you as the loving mother”

Harper remained silent. Causing Hayes to jump up from the sofa “Oh my god there are!”

“Hayes please calm down”

Hayes ran her fingers through her hair “You are never going to be my mother are you? You never were. The maids in the white house raised me more than you  _ ever  _ did”

“I have protected you for many-”

“You’ve been protecting you! Do you realise how sick it is that I can’t even tell when my own mother means it when she says things as common as  _ I love you _ ?”

Harper looked at her, acting clueless and confused “Hayes-”

Unaware of what was going on. Aaron walked into the apartment.

“I was in love with him, mom!” Hayes blurted out then looking to Aaron as he stood there for a moment. It was silent for a moment, Hayes bowed her head and then looked up to Harper and shrugged “Do you remember what you said when I told you that all those years ago? You threw it back in my face and told me that none of it was real, that it was my first relationship and-and I’d grow out of it and find someone better. When I didn’t want anyone better!” Hayes hand flew to her chest over her heart “You tore it apart. You let the media attack both of us. Why do you think I’m like this?  _ The sex schandals _ ? It’s because I can’t do anything else now other than that”

“Of course you can”

Aaron walked over to her, not even looking at Harper and just kept his eyes on Hayes.With his hand on her back for support “You stripped me of every chance I had of a normal life”

“Dating a hollywood actor isn’t exactly normal, Hayes” Harper lightly laughed. Aaron ran his fingers through his hair and snapped “Do you have to undermine  _ everything _ she says?”

Hayes put her hand on Aaron’s stomach and shook her head to her mother, she squinted her eyes and shrugged “It’s all just one big joke to you isn’t it? My life. Up until this job that I was  _ blackmailed  _ into you didn’t even want to know me really unless it was for your campaign or your precious image”

“That’s because you were always drunk, in and out of breaking up marriages. Let’s not forget the evident use of drugs”

“And why do you think she ended up doing those things? Perhaps it had to do with the amazing parents she had that were never around. You never showed up to anything”

“My graduation for both high school and college. Never cared about a relationship that I was really seeing a future with...no...you just came running and cared when I was in trouble or in the hospital because  _ that’s  _ when the cameras were on”

“Are you blaming me for choices you made?”

Hayes looked to her, then picked up her whiskey again and shook her head “No. Mom. I don’t blame you for that. I am my own person, I make my own choices. But why don’t you look in the mirror and think about this...how come Jackson turned out one way and I turned out the other? Good old fashioned sexism still runs in the white house because Jackson was the apprentice, he was the president's son and I” Hayes raised her arms and laughed “I was the doll. Only taken down from the shelf when needed to look pretty for the flashing lights and dinner parties”

Harper went to deny it. But Hayes saw how she couldn’t. And that was when she let out a stiff laugh and drank the rest of her whiskey. Hayes took a deep breath and muttered “Sometimes. I think it would be easier for everyone if I were never here. Because I am not Jackson. No matter how many times you or dad turned to me and said  _ ‘why can’t you be more like your brother’  _ it wasn’t going to happen. Maybe if you stopped at Jackson everyone’s life would have been easier”

“Hayes…” Aaron whispered.

Hayes looked to Aaron “Including yours” his eyes reflected his heartache of her saying that, he shook his head to her, she then looked away and added “And Jackson’s. Conner’s. The whole of CIU...the whole of congress” she laughed and then muttered “God knows I’ve put them through shit” she grabbed the bottle and didn’t even bother to pour it into the glass, she just drank it down. As if it was water. Aaron just stood by her side in silence.

“You know you don’t mean that...there are people who care for you. Conner-”

“I swear” Hayes held the bottle up to her “If you even finish that sentence about how Conner Wallace would be suitable then I will throw you out. I am done playing these games, mom. Conner Wallace is a good lawyer, he’s a good ally but the man is a snake in the grass. A man who asks my mother to spy on me is not someone I could ever  _ ever  _ consider starting something with. Conner Wallace is not good enough for me”

“Oh but Aaron is?” She snapped as she glanced to the man himself.

Hayes shook her head and pointed to him with the bottle in her hand “ _ He _ has cared about me more than anyone but that's also not important. Whoever I chose to spend my life with. Man. Woman. Who knows. But whoever it is...it’ll be my choice. For my own happiness. But you know what mom I won’t ever get that because thanks to you I am no longer allowed to have a private life. Yes. I blame you for  _ that _ ”

Hayes turned and walked towards the kitchen.

Harper looked to Aaron and asked in a sharp way “Why are you here, Aaron?”

“Because I didn't want her to be alone. At least I'm here for honest reasons-”

Hayes held her arm out at him “Don’t explain yourself Aaron. The last thing she deserves is an explanation”

They stood there, in silence. Hayes shrugged and looked to the corner of the room for a moment “Is that it? Have you been up here long enough to satisfy the press?”

Harper didn’t say anything more, she didn’t even say bye, she took took a view steps back before turning around and walking out. And all Hayes really wanted right there, was to hear her mother say that she was sorry. Sorry for tonight, sorry for the life that Hayes had to put up with. To be sorry and mean it. To hug her and mean it.  

Hayes picked up the glass to pour more of the whiskey, but then ended up just throwing it against the wall and pressing her forehead against her palms. Her breathing became quick and sharp. Her composure was slipping, she put her hands on her hips and took breaths to try and calm herselves.

She leaned her arms down on the counter and laid her head in her hands. Continuing in taking in the deep breaths. Aaron rushed over to her and put his hands on her back to try and keep her calm.

He sighed and put his forehead against the top of her head and sighed as he heard her quietly sob “Stop”

He pulled her close and hugged her tight “Stop, stop please”

Hayes kept her eyes closed as she wrapped arms from under his arms and gripped onto his shoulders. Taking deep breaths to try and calm herself down.

“I got you, just calm down it’s okay” he whispered.

“My career is going to be tainted by this” Hayes said as she opened her eyes “I’ve been in this job for what? Three weeks? A month tops and it’s already gone to shit”

“It hasn’t” Aaron argued back, pulling away and pushed her hair behind her ear “It’ll blow over just watch...but Hayes...the coke-”

“A mistake” Hayes shook her head.

“You were clean for so long”

“We all slip now and then. And it’s not as if I’m some coke head I just had it now and then...but like I said it was a mistake”

Aaron looked into her eyes, she was being honest. He also knew that the only reason she didn’t take the damn thing was because she was caught. If he had in front of her she wouldn’t even of hesitated. Hayes looked at him up and down and said “How was the interview?”

“Okay”

“Is there anything I should know?”

“Not now” Aaron whispered as he shook his head.

“Aaron-”

“It’s not important right now, what’s important is you being okay” he smiled to her and lightly shook her has he held her waist “It’s always gotta be about you, Ace”

Hayes softly smiled as she looked to him, he wiped her tears from her cheek with a little smirk still on his face. Hayes looked at his lips as they rubbed together. She gripped onto his jacket as she lightly pressed her lips against his. Aaron put his hand to her jaw. They both took in a deep breath as they sunk into more. Aaron wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer than ever before. Hayes flung her arms around his neck as their tongues brushed together.

She let out a breath as their lips briefly pulled apart to come up for air. She quickly kissed him again though, she pushed him back against the counter, he felt her hook her thumbs in his waistband. Aaron pulled his lips and pressed his forehead against hers, with his eyes closed he shook his head “Hayes”

He could feel how her hands were shaking. She was still upset by it all. As she tried to undress him by unbuckling his belt, that alone showed that she wasn’t in a good emotional place. Usually that belt would have been off two minutes ago. Aaron gently took hold of her hands “Hayes come on, stop”

Hayes looked to him, her eyes were darting all over the place as she looked to his eyes “What?”

“Look. Believe me, I want to. I’ll always want to, but you don’t really want this and I can see it even if you can’t. I’d be wrong to ignore that” he kissed her forehead and muttered “I know you hate all the mushy shit but I care about you. Sue me”

“I’ll find a way to actually do that” Hayes sighed as she walked out of his hold, hearing him softly laugh. She turned to him, with her hand still loosely linked to his “I’m tired”

“Okay” Aaron whispered, he stood up straight and quickly kissed the back of her hand, raising his brows to her “Stay safe, Ace”

Hayes watched him walk away over to the elevator.

‘ _ Don’t say anything. Don’t say anything. Don’t-’ _

“Aaron”

‘ _ Don’t ask. Don’t ask’ _

Hayes rubbed her lips together and weakly mumbled “Stay?”

Aaron stepped away from the elevator door and stared at her, surprised. But he smiled and nodded.

_ ‘Ohh...you’re fucked, Hayes’ _

She ignored the cynic that was her conscious. And walked into the bedroom with him following. She had never done this before. Not even when they were together did she just ask him to stay to cuddle her. Apart from the time when her dog died. But that was an isolated incident, it was usually the damn dog that comforted her when she cried. It was silent between the two. He took off his jacket and put it on the side. When he looked up, Hayes removed her shirt and grabbed the shirt she sleeps in.

Aaron tilted his head “Is that mine? The one I gave you like six years ago? Thought you weren’t sentimental”

“I’m not” Hayes said bluntly, looking at the shirt “But this is just the softest cotton I have ever had”

Aaron raised his eyebrows for a brief moment as he smirked and looked down to the floor. Hayes pulled the shirt over her and put on her cotton shorts, she walked over to the bed and slid under the duvet, she looked at him as he stood there by the bed. Hayes rolled her eyes and turned onto her side “God sake Aaron it’s not like you’ve never been in my bed before”

“I know. Just never gotten into your bed for this kind of reason” he chuckled “It’s new”

Hayes briefly smiled before he had the chance to see and then rolled on her back and looked to him as he just looked to her. Hayes put the back of her hand on his stomach and muttered “Thanks…”

“Anytime”

Why did she feel so guilty about Conner? Why? Maybe it was because Aaron treated her with the respect that no man apart from her brother ever has. She knew that if she called him with a crisis he’d come running no questions asked and he would never judge her, tonight was evident about that he just wanted to make sure that she was okay. Maybe that’s why. Aaron rubbed her arm “Get some sleep. Somethin’ tells me you’ve got some day ahead of you tomorrow”

Hayes sighed and looked up to him “Guess you’re right”

“I’ll be right here” Aaron said soothingly. Hayes gave a tight smile and turned on her side once again, feeling him then do the same. Staying on top of the covers. He draped his arm over her waist, soon enough they both fell asleep.

* * *

Jackson got up from bed and was dressed all for 7am. He got home late last night, Hayes was already in bed. Un be known to him with Aaron. He decided to let her sleep instead of waking her up in the middle of the night after he heard about everything. But now she had to get up. She had work in just an hour. Jackson knocked on her bedroom door and opened it before he was called in.

“Hayes get up you’ve got a big-“ he stopped his words as he was Hayes and Aaron slowly wake themselves up, he rolled his eyes and called as he closed the door again “Oh  _ come on _ ”

Aaron groaned as the door slammed. He shouldn’t have been woken up this early, especially when today was his morning off from being on set. Aaron put his palm to his forehead and grumbled with sarcasm “God…good morning”

Hayes didn’t comment, she just yawned and got herself out of bed whilst Aaron stayed put. He stayed on the bed with his eyes completely shut through her being in the shower. Which he usually joins her in. He really must have been tired to pass that up. Even after she was dressed and did her hair. She turned from her dresser to see that he was still lay on the bed. She tilted her head for a moment and then dryly joked as she climbed onto it “Did have you a later night than me last night? Staring at me sleeping again”

Aaron let out a tired amused smile with his eyes still shut and grumbled “Now that would be telling”

He felt Hayes head being right in front of his as she looked at him, her hands on each side of his body, he opened one eye and muttered “I can go”

Hayes shook her head and kept her voice quiet so that it wasn’t too much for his exhausted ears. She wasn’t aware that it was her seductive voice that drove him crazy “No, stay. Get some more sleep…I’m sure the press will be outside anyway best for you to wait till it dies off”

“I’ll go out the back anyway but” he opened both his eyes to look at her and smiled “Thanks”

“Call it a thank you, for being here with me last night. I really needed to not be alone”

“It was the least I could do, Hayes, wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything crazy” he smirked and he closed his eyes and added “I know what you’re like”

Hayes raised her brows for a quick moment and nodded “You do”

Aaron carried on with his smirk and then was half joking with her when he puckered up his lips for a second to ask for a kiss. Hayes stared at them and slowly took hers towards them, not even an inch apart, she looked at his closed eyes and then smirked as he tapped his cheeks and pulled away. Hearing him let out a grumbled laugh and say “You’re a cruel woman, Ace”

Hayes shut the door behind her and walked out into the kitchen. As she took her phone out of her pocket she said to her brother before he could even say anything “Nothing happened he was just here for moral support last night”

She looked to Jackson, whose face read that he couldn’t tell whether to believe that or not. She motioned her hand to her bedroom and said “He’s fully clothed and on top of my sheets instead of me now when have you walked in on Aaron being like that if I had my way with him”

After a brief cringe at the sheer thought, Jackson nodded and swiftly move on. After asking her how she was and gave her a hug due to feeling bad that he wasn’t here for her last night, he told her about the press she was going to have to face. Both online and outside their home right now.

Hayes went snooping on all the gossip headlines about her. Calling her a cokehead. That what she has done is worse than a previous president or president’s kid has done. Every headline she said, Jackson told her how she had been through worse and could bounce back from this. She was just going to have to keep her head held high.

After a shot of espresso, they made their way down stairs. Taking hold of her hand, Jackson nodded to her and they opened the door to the flashing cameras.

* * *

 

Hayes just wanted to get on with this new case about a mother, Penny Price, who may or may not be guilty about killing her son. But Jackson didn’t let her get on with it smoothly. In his defence, he felt like he couldn’t. He was doing the damage control of this whole mess; her mother certainly wasn’t going to do it. Not after last night where she insisted she was ganged up on by her daughter and her daughter’s former flame. Truth doesn’t settle well with her evidently in Hayes eyes.

Jackson stuck with her everywhere she went. He was at her work, in her office. Trying to get her to get away from her job and come to speak to him about an interview that he had organised in attempts for Hayes to get in front of a camera and tell the country how sorry she was for what she did.

“This is beyond things you’ve done before, Hayes, more than when you were found painting your nails in the oval office.  _ Or _ when you and Aaron took one of dad’s cars and took it out for a spin”

Hayes couldn’t help but laugh “God I almost forgot about that”

“Dad hasn’t” Jackson mumbled.

It was Hayes’s idea of course, she drove. Aaron would have gotten arrested if she didn’t. Hayes got out of her phone and couldn’t resist getting up the paparazzi pictures of that day. Hayes shook her head and muttered “God…the things he did to me in that back seat”

“ _ Moving on _ ”

Hayes looked up and let out a giggle as she locked her phone as he said “Aaron can’t drive you away from this one Hayes”

“I always drive” she whispered with a smirk. Then a knock on her office door. Hayes called Tess and Maxine in. Wanting Hayes to come with them to help with this case. Jackson opposed. But Hayes didn’t exactly care what Jackson opposed to today. She wanted to keep herself wrapped up in her work. Perhaps to keep numb from the secret embarrassment she was feeling and hating every waking second in being back to square one with the press.

Luckily paps had left her alone whilst she was doing her job. It was actually understood that these cases were important and involved other people’s lives, lives that right now were more important than what Hayes was putting into her body shockingly enough.

Throughout her day, she found Conner snooping around. Saying he was worried about her and wanted to know if she was okay. Whether those were his genuine intentions she wasn’t too sure about. Conner Wallace always had another angle to things.

It was when he suggested that they stuck to some old habits between them after all this blew over that he knew he was trying to charm her more than anything. Okay so they fooled around a little whilst they were in Chicago. But it wasn’t even anything romantic or special, she was on the rebound from Aaron for Christ sakes and Conner knew that. She didn’t even have sex with him which is what made Conner so eager to have her. Hayes put down her cup and shook her head “Or not”

Conner laughed and shrugged “Or not” he looked up to her and said “I don’t regret that kiss, Hayes”

Hayes sighed and looked away from him. Then hearing him say “But you do” she kept her eyes off him for a moment. It didn’t take long for Conner to put together some pieces, with a damning smile on his face he nodded “Aaron”

Hayes closed her eyes as he carried on “Aaron. You regret that kiss because of him? Are you two together again?”

“No”

“Then Hayes you don’t owe him anything”

“I also don’t owe you anything” Hayes shot back, raising her brows to him “I don’t owe you a dear diary moment in what I’m feeling. Not about my wellbeing not about my relationships. I regret that kiss because we’re co-workers”

He laughed “Since when has that bothered you? Crossing a line”

“ _ You _ wanted a new Hayes Morrison. You’re getting one. Or does it no longer suit you because you won’t be getting into my bed?” she left him slightly speechless. Which is just how she liked things. She picked up her cup once again and said “If you don’t mind. I have work to get on with”


	5. Chapter 5

With just two days remaining on the case, Hayes had to handle both this interview along with the case. And with this case being around with this whole drug, she needed and wanted a happy outcome. She for one can’t find herself believing that Penny Price killed her son. She just hoped that her gut instinct was right.

She hadn’t spoke that much to Aaron. Which he understood, she was trying to keep her head in her work and he respected that. Plus whenever she did text him over the past few days it was always late replies because of the long runs he’s had on set about his new film. Funnily enough he plays a corrupt lawyer and often teases her by saying it’s based on her.

Despite the long hours on set. He did make time for one thing. Her interview of her redemption as she sarcastically put into her last text. He couldn’t not watch it. It’d be too funny. The Hayes Morrison who will be all innocent and wanting forgiveness is hilarious since it couldn’t be more beyond opposite. He turned on the TV in his trailer and saw her sat there. In a pink pencil skirt and jacket, looking like she’s raided her mother’s wardrobe and that pearl necklace that made him laugh so hard he couldn’t breathe. The first thought that came into his head was  _ ‘Why has Jackson dressed her like a grandma at a wedding _ ’ all she needed now was one of those big hats.

Other than laughing at what she was having to dress like, he did take what she was saying seriously and he was rooting for her. He hoped that she came off to the country how she needed to come off. Like she was sorry and that she felt guilty.

The reporter cornered her soon enough. Using her cases against her. That they had to go through all the shit in the system whilst Hayes practically got off scot free. Asking how she would handle speaking to one of her cases if they said to her that it wasn’t fair. Aaron saw the put on the spot look on her face and how she was stuck. He rubbed his palms together and sat on the edge of his seat as he muttered under his breath “Come on, Hayes”

Hayes sat there and stared for a moment, then her expression changed to one that suggested she finally had an answer, and she did  _ “Well, as someone who has been humbled and yes blessed. I will work twice as hard to get you the justice you deserve”  _ He saw how her hand was wrapping more and more around the pearls, she was feeling suffocated. Suddenly they snapped and dropped to the floor. Aaron kept his eyes on her, seeing how exhausted and stressed she looked. He wished he could just climb through the TV and tell them to cut. He didn’t get why Jackson wasn’t.

Hayes’s expression then changed, and he smirked. He knew what was coming. Hayes Morrison was about to be herself.

_ “Honestly? Dan, I hope your audience see through this charade. Because this here me in these pearls and this stupid suit. This is what privilege looks like” _

_ “Can you elaborate on that?” _

_ “Fact that you’re here talking to me. This is the problem. Rich famous powerful people get away with murder all the time…sometimes literally. Coke in the purse, insider trading, sexual assault. You name it. I screw up, cause my last name, the cops call the DA, he calls my mom, strings are pulled. I’m out on the street in an hour with a new job. A job I initially had no interest in. Funny thing is, I like causing trouble, busting the system, exposing wrongful convictions kind of gets me off. So really it worked for me again” _

She was on fire. Aaron took out his phone as he felt it buzz like crazy. He was getting notifications from fans about Hayes. Saying how awesome she is and they can’t believe a big idiot like him was ever with her. They were his fans they were allowed to call him names. Especially when he agreed. His feed was filled with everyone saying how they can’t believe she was saying this and it was about time that someone did. With it coming from someone who is within that circle it proves a point, that the whole justice system is corrupt in the eyes of the ones in it as well as the ones out of it.

Aaron couldn’t resist but tweet.

_ ‘Hayes Morrison everyone. The woman never ceases to amaze me. Proud beyond words #Hayeskeepsitreal’ _

Aaron put his phone back in his pocket and looked back to the screen with her end sentence of  _ “I may be a hot mess but I’m a hot mess with privilege, and since Penny Price has none. The least I can do is lend her some of mine” _

He grinned and nodded. A perfect way to end that. He soon had a knock on his door, he wasn’t meant to have taken a break. But he just had to see. And now he was glad that he did.

On the other side of the camera as they shut off. Hayes looked over to the disapproving look on her brother’s face. She took a breath and stood up, she walked over to him and shrugged “I’m sorry. But I couldn’t lie”

“No” he shook his head “You had to break the rules and make matters worse again” he was painfully sharp, but he was annoyed which she understood. Jackson sighed and looked away from her. He didn’t say anything else to her. He just walked off. Even when she called to him and asked where it was that he was again, he didn’t answer.

Hayes cursed under her breath. With this being her home, she went into her room as her mother’s people helped the camera crew wrapped up. She picked up her phone from charge and saw the text she had from Aaron.

_ 12:05: What the hell are you wearing?  _ He put with a crying laughing emoji. Making her giggle.

_ 12:06: Nice pearls. But you could have asked my grandma instead of stealing them.  _ Again she laughed, a little more this time. The next was when she broke them.

_ 12:08:…Grandma is gonna be pissed.  _ Hayes put her hand over her mouth as her amused grin didn’t die down. The last one, was a more serious.

_ 12:10: Can’t believe you did all that. Everyone is behind you on this. I’m proud of you, Ace. Hope everything is okay after it x _

Hayes dropped her hand from her mouth and took hold of her phone with both hands as she then typed back to him  _ ‘Thanks for the running commentary. Apologizes to your grandma. And thank you…so do I…x’ _

Hayes put her phone on the bed and got changed. Straight into her sweats, she had the rest of the day off because of this damn interview. They told her that if she was desperately needed they’d call but until then, she was allowed to wait for the ball to drop on the interview. She also wanted to wait for Jackson to come home…if he came home that is.

Hayes hadn’t heard anything about her feedback on the interview. Apart from people who spoke to her face to face. She didn’t have twitter or anything like that. Jackson didn’t come home, she presumed that he was staying with their parents to calm their mother down.

Hayes thought this job was over and she was determined to make sure it was done with full justice.

* * *

It came to them that Penny wasn’t the one who killed her son, Owen. It was in fact his sister Emily. The pieces were put together enough, it all made sense to them. Hayes had to deliver the news to Penny. With Emily, there beside her. She had to sit there, with a mother and daughter and tell Penny that her daughter killed her son.

Emily wasn’t some cold hearted, bitter girl who was glad she did what she did. She regretted it and loved Owen, you could tell. But she felt like there was no other way. Penny told her to stop and looked to Hayes. It didn’t matter. None of this mattered. Penny wasn’t going to let Emily admit to this. She was going to remain in prison. So that her daughter could have a life.

As she was leaving, Hayes looked to them. Seeing Penny hold Emily in her arms. It killed her. She never had that. She never had her mother hold her and tell her it’s okay when she had done something wrong that she regretted. She never had that love or reassurance. She wished that she did but, that love was absent in her life. Even now. No one from her family contacted her about the interview to support her in anyway. They ignored her. Like always. She didn’t want to cry in front of anyone so she left.

Nearing the end of the night. She found herself with a run in with Conner once again.

“You broke twitter. Your  _ boyfriend _ started a hashtag that has been trending throughout the entire day…hashtag Hayes keeps it real”

Deep down. Hayes was pretty impressed and grateful. But on the surface she acted like it didn’t even touch her, she shook her head “I never asked him-“

“No of course you didn’t. Because he likes to give the finger to the justice system as much as you do. But hey what does that matter. You’re a national hero. You can go”

She didn’t understand why he was being so blunt and angry with her. It couldn’t have been because of the conversation earlier, surely he wasn’t  _ that _ petty. And she was right it wasn’t. No, Conner was angry with her because of the fact he was caught out in blackmailing her to take this job. Hayes wasn’t quite sure how it was her fault that he started all of this, she didn’t care if she was thrown in  a jail cell, in fact she was looking forward to a new change. But no, this was on her as well. Just to add to the pile.

“They’ll be going through every case I’ve ever touched hoping to find something to hang me with”

“Will they find anything?”

He stared at her for a moment and then spoke more sternly “You can go.  _ Please _ go”

Hayes did as he asked and left. She had places to be anyway.

* * *

She had bought Jackson an olive tree. As one of those metaphorical things. She knows that he likes that and hopefully with crack a smile and forgive her for going against what he asked her to do.

But to her shock. She didn’t even get to walk in the front door. The receptionist revealed all her bags behind him and said that he would send them to her new address. One that she didn’t have. Jackson had kicked her out, she had well and truly pushed him over the edge. This wasn’t even the worst thing she had done, but it may have just been a step too far. Hayes told the receptionist to leave her bags there for now.  She walked out of the building, with tears rolling down her cheeks and this stupid damn olive tree in her hand. Hayes now felt truly lost and alone. She couldn’t just stand here in the middle of the street she had to move herself.

She moved herself all the way to the one person she had left.

Aaron opened the door and saw the tears in her eyes, she let out a shaken breath and shrugged as she cried “I had nowhere else to go. Jackson kicked me out”

“What?” he whispered with a small gasp. Completely taken by surprised that Jackson would do something like that, as her bottom lip began to wobble. Aaron pulled her close and held onto her. Hayes rested her head on his shoulder “Could I…”

“Yes. You don’t even have to ask” Aaron quickly replied, rubbing her back. He opened his eyes and then had his eyebrows pinch together as he muttered “The fucks that?”

“An olive tree” Hayes sighed as she pulled away, looking at it herself, she glanced to him and said “I was going to give it to Jackson” she walked into his apartment. Aaron stared at it a little while longer and muttered as he leaned down and grabbed it “He does love all that metaphor shit”

He put it by his door and turned to her. He walked up from behind her and took her jacket off her and hung it up for her. Aaron looked to her again and saw how broke she looked. He took her by the hand into the bedroom, not for what she thought he was getting at. He took out some of his sweat pants and a sweater and passed them to her “Put these on. You look like you wanna just slouch on the couch”

Hayes gave him a tight smile to show her gratitude, he left the room so she could get changed. She didn’t have to worry about him missing out on slouching, he already had his version of the outfit on. He broke out the whiskey, Southern Comfort. Which he knew was her drink. She came out in the clothes he gave her and found him by the couch, in front of the fire and TV with the glasses already on the coffee table. Hayes pulled the end of the sweater sleeves over her hands and crossed her leg under the other as she sat down next to him. He knew how truly upset she was about all this, even more than the other night because unlike that night. She was being quiet. Which was something she never was unless truly hurt and upset.

Hayes breathed in the spirit before taking a sip of it. Then letting out a sigh, keeping her eyes down onto her glass. Her lips tightened as she shook her head and muttered “I never thought he’d do this”

“Yeah me either” Aaron muttered, looking at her with genuine concern “What happened?”

“I hadn’t seen or heard from him since the thing with the interview. I knew he was pissed I just didn’t think he was so pissed that he’d…not want me anywhere near him anymore. Another family member to add to the books…I don’t think there’s any more left. Less my grandmother is cursing at me in her grave”

“Probably” Aaron lightly teased which got a small amused huff from her as she lifted her head and looked to him. But not even his little wits could keep her from thinking about how shit all this was “I don’t know where I go from here”

“Look, it’ll sort itself out. Jackson will soon realise that he’s being an idiot. And that he can’t live without you…no matter how hard he tries”

“Are we still talking about Jackson?” Hayes said in a soft voice as looked at him with curiosity. Aaron looked to her, then looked down to his glass and muttered before taking a drink “Course”

Hayes kept her eyes on him from putting glass on the table to leaning back on the couch and looking to her, he brushed it off and just asked “Other than this, anything else happen?”

“You mean other than Conner Wallace hating me?”

Aaron rolled his eyes “What’s his problem now?”

“It’s my fault apparently that he blackmailed me into this job. Because I am okay and getting support for that interview” she then stopped and said “Thank you for getting that hashtag trending by the way”

Aaron smiled and nodded “Anytime”

Hayes then got back to the subject and said “Because of that, it’s my fault he’s being investigated and could be fired”

“The reason he did this is because he wanted to get on your mom’s good graces to win some kind of approval. He wasn’t trying to save you; he was trying to save himself”

“I know, I know”

“You owe him nothing”

Hayes knew how much Aaron couldn’t stand Conner, purely because of how he treats Hayes and how his true meaning behind anything he does for her is just to try and get her to want to sleep with him. The respect, in his eyes, is fake. And knowing all that just makes her feel even more guilty about kissing him. Because she knew that Aaron cared for her for all the right, genuine reasons.

Aaron looked to her “You can stay here for as long as you want” 

“Thanks” she weakly muttered as she rested her head against her palm and closed her eyes. Just being lost in thought for a moment, wrapped up in her own thoughts. Aaron stared at her and then muttered “Hayes”

“Hm?” she opened her eyes to him.

“Go get some sleep”

Hayes went to argue against it and saw that they would stay up and talk to him more. But there was always tomorrow for that. And she was pretty exhausted from being emotionally drained. Hayes looked at him as if to say ‘you’re right’ and stood up, she looked down to him and leaned towards him to kiss him. It lasted longer than expected. Aaron put his finger under chin. Hayes pulled her lips away ever so slightly and whispered “Come with me…just…come and hold me”

This was twice in a matter of days where she asked him to join her in the bedroom just to be held. And he for one was filled with joy that he was the one she wanted to comfort her, after years of being shut out.

Hayes took hold of his hands and pressed her forehead against his and added again in a whisper “Please, Aaron”

Aaron smiled and nodded, standing up. With Hayes still holding onto his hands. She kept her eyes locked onto him as he guided her into the bedroom. As if she didn’t know where it was. Hayes lay on  _ her _ side of the bed as Aaron got in the side beside her. He took of his sweater. Which Hayes wasn’t exactly complaining about. As soon as he lay on his back, Hayes snuggled right next to him. Draping her leg between his and putting her hand on his ripped stomach. Aaron put her arm around her shoulder. She looked up at him and kissed him again. Putting her hand on his cheek.

As their tongues brushed together, Aaron leaned forward. With Hayes now turning to lie on her back and Aaron on top, resting at her side. Hayes ran her fingers through the back of his hair and then whispered “You’re too good to me, Aaron”

Aaron looked to her “What’re you talking about?”

“After the way I treated you over these past few years”

Aaron shook his head “Hayes. We equally fucked each other up”

Hayes nodded, he had a point, but she then pointed out “But even now, after the things I’ve done. The way I pushed you away over and over. You still let me in. I don’t deserve it”

“Shut up, Ace” Aaron whispered as he shook his head “You deserve so much more than you get. Y’know that? It’s like you said today you’re a hot mess. But you’re the bravest hot mess I know”

Hayes muttered a small laugh, she shook her head and looked back to him “Aaron-“

“I’m always going to love you” he whispered.

That shut her up. Hayes rubbed her lips together and stared into his eyes. She knew that, she knew that he still loved her. He was going to say it the other week but she told him to stop. Hearing it would just make it more real. But it was too bad now. Aaron stared back to her and then softly sighed as he let out a small smile “You don’t have to say anything” he lightly kissed her lips “Just know that I’m doing all of this for no other reason than that. There’s no other angle” he then lay on his back and nudged her arm “Now get some sleep”

She watched as he rolled on his side and turned off the lamp by his table. Hayes propped herself up on her elbow for a moment as she leaned her head over his shoulder and kissed cheek, with her lips to his ears. She pressed her forehead against temple. She wanted to say it. Or say something at least. For him that was enough, he knew she couldn’t. But for him it was still enough. He smirked and whispered “ _ I know _ , Hayes. You’re transparent, remember?”

Hayes let out a weak smile “You’re such a dick” she kissed his cheek once again and rubbed his arm and then lay back, with her arms around him and her cheek against his back. 

* * *

The next morning. Hayes was rudely woken up by the sunlight beaming straight on her face. Hayes quickly turned and groaned as she sunk her face into the pillow “Aaron!”

“Get up, Hayes. We’ve both got work” Aaron muttered as he walks from the curtains from having just gotten out of the shower. Hayes looked up and saw him naked for a brief second before he put on some boxer shorts and snapped to him “Forget work I’m not going”

“What do you mean you’re not going?”

Hayes lifted her hand and held out a finger for each point “I have none of my clothes to get changed into. No mode of transport and to be honest, no motivation” 

Aaron put his hands on his hips and walked towards her as she remained lying in bed. He stared down at her, looking at her sweetly and then whipped the duvet off of her. 

“Aaron!” 

Aaron took the duvet and put it in the highest and furthest point of his wardrobe and said as he turned back to her “You are getting your ass out of bed, getting in that shower and making yourself smell as nice as you look. Or will look”

“Asshole” she whispered under her breath. 

“I’ll sort out the clothes and transport thing okay?” he then walked out of his bedroom, Hayes sat up and called “What does that even mean?” 

“I’ll see you later!” he called.

Hayes rolled her eyes and lay back down on the bed. She tried to sleep but dammit he took the duvet for a reason, he knew she couldn’t if she didn’t have something to wrap herself in. After slapping her hand on the mattress. She took herself up and went into the bathroom to take a shower. She grabbed his bathrobe and put it on, walking out into the front of the apartment after drying her hair. She walked in to see all of her bags at the door with a bellboy beside it all, Hayes raised a brow and looked from the bags to him “Mr Smith had your bags sent from your previous home”

Hayes dropped her hand from scratching the back of her head onto her hip “Huh. So that’s what he meant” she rubbed her lips and looked to him “Do I need to tip you or-”

“No, ma’am. Mr Smith covered that” The bellboy went in his pockets and took out some keys, walking over to her and holding them out “Keys to Mr Smith’s Range Rover” 

Hayes watched him drop the key in her hand and said “How has he got to work?”

“He has a range of cars that he keeps in his private garage”

“Of course” Hayes mumbled, he looked to him and said “He must trust you to give him keys to his car”

He smiled “I have been working here since Mr Smith bought the penthouse. I take care of all his request” he walked over to the bags and carried them into the bedroom, then walking back out, he gave her another smile “Have a nice day ma’am” walking to the door, he then turned as his hand went on the handle “Oh! And it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Morrison”

Hayes gave him a polite smile and went into the bedroom. She didn’t want to unpack her clothes, she didn’t want to make it look like she was moving herself in. So she just took out an outfit and left the rest of her things still in it’s bag. 


	6. Chapter 6

Hayes tried calling Jackson so many times. She didn’t mention where she was staying. For all he knew she could be sleeping rough in the office, maybe if she let him think that it would make him in the end feel bad about it and actually pick up the phone on these times that she rang and would talk to her.

Hayes did what she did best to keep herself numb which was get herself stuck in a new case. Some kind of Oliver Twist case about a poor orphan boy who may or may not have killed the mother of the family that took him in. The team weren’t stupid, they knew the main reason as to why Hayes was hungry for a poor boy being done for something was part of this whole helping people who had no privilege with her own. It was her own subtle damage control. She went and visited Will with Sam. Sam clearly thought Will was guilty and Hayes remained impartial, right now she didn’t know what to think, he seemed sincere. But a lot of psychopaths seemed sincere. For her it was too early to tell.

That afternoon, on her road of groveling. She went to visit Conner.

_“You’re on your way to where?”_

“I know. I know you don’t think I should” Hayes sighed.

_“Don’t think you should apologise to Conner Wallace? Um, yeah you’re right I don’t think I should”_

Hayes smirked as she pulled up in the carpark of Conner’s work place and sat back in her car as she looked to the ceiling “You’re being biased cause you don’t like him”

_“I also think you’ve done nothing wrong to him for you to apologise”_

“I dropped him in it, Aaron. Whether I intended to or not I-this is my job, gotta build bridges with those involved...on another note. Thanks for y’know, getting my stuff and giving me your car”

_“Well it was gonna be done sooner or later. Just needed to get your ass out of bed”_

“Usually you want me to stay in it”

 _“Only when I’m there with you”_ he said with a grumbled laugh _“I’m heading back home-to mine. For lunch. Will I see you there?”_

Hayes let another smirk slip “Bye Aaron” she threw her phone in her bag and took it and herself out of the car.   
Hayes walked into his office and gave him a little gag gift of ibuprofen, she thought it would make him laugh or at least crack a smile. But nope. It just went straight in the trash can beside his desk.

“Seriously? I get that you’re mad at me but how was I supposed to know the attorney investigation was going to happen?”

“I’m not mad Hayes, I’m done” the rant then let out. Usually when people rant to her, she zones out and just comes in for the last bit of their closing sentence, but this time she listened “-there was a chance you’d blow things up. That’s what you do. It’s who you are. And I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t turn me on but I don’t need that in my life”

“You blackmailed me into this job. I’m only here because you forced me”

“It was a mistake”

That hurt her. If there was one thing she was grateful for Conner was that he thought high enough of her to give her this job, because it set her in some kind of right direction no matter what the media portrayed her as right now. She loved this job and everything it stood for. Hearing that her being part of it was a mistake did hurt her.

Conner saw that, so he clarified “ _Personally_...professionally making you the head of CIU. That was smart. That part of our relationship, that’ll continue”

She wanted to bite at him. So much. Snap at him by saying how last night was a night from hell for her. But she didn’t, she didn’t want to give him any kind of _personal_ information. God forbid she said something that might make him care.

* * *

Hayes came into the apartment on her lunch break. Which he knew she would. But he didn’t expect her to march in and throw her bag to the side “Asshole”

Aaron looked up “Hey I take you in out of the goodness of my heart-”

“Not you, moron” she sighed, seeing him then crack a laugh. She rolled her eyes to him and mumbled to herself “God he’s a comedian”

Aaron leaned his hands on the counter and watched her turn on the coffee machine “What is it?”

“I go in there. Give him a gag joke of ibuprofen for the pain of me. What does he do? Throws it in the trash and says how he is done with me”

Aaron folded his arms “Ibuprofen? You get them out of the trash. Seems like I’m gonna need it”

Hayes swatted his arm and shook her head. Aaron laughed and let out a deep breath “I’m not going to say I told you so. But just know that I am thinking it”

Hayes rolled her eyes and looked down to her finger as it made a circle on his marbled counter. Aaron moved closer to her and didn’t crack jokes to her this time “Can’t say you didn’t try, Ace. On a guy that isn’t even worth your breath”

“And who is worth my breath” Hayes looked up and cocked on eyebrow “You?”

Aaron shrugged with a mischievous smile,looking away and pretending to be dumb. Then looking back to her as she laughed and grinned, he leaned forward to her. With his lips just about to touch hers, she mocked a gasp “I hope you don’t think we’re going to play some kind of couple in this little living together thing of yours”

“I wouldn’t dare” Aaron shook his head, then pressing his lips onto hers. Hayes silently groaned to herself for wanting to give in so badly and did as she put her hand on the back of his head, gripping onto his hair. After a moment she took her lips away for a moment and said as she caught her breath “How long before you have to go back?”

“It’s not like they’re gonna film without me” he laughed, kissing her again. Hayes gripped hardly onto his hand as his arms wrapped around her and picked her up, sitting her on the counter and standing between her legs as they wrapped around his waist.

“What about lunch?” Hayes whispered as he kissed her neck.

“I’m looking at it” he laughed.

“ _Please_ ”

Exactly twenty five minutes later. Hayes returned her shirt back onto her body. She looked to Aaron who was doing the same and fixing his hair the in the mirror after she well and truly messed it up. She laughed breathlessly, putting on her jacket “So by coming back here for lunch-”

“I did actually intend on eating food” Aaron muttered with a smirk as he put on his bomber jacket and walked back over to her as he grabbed his cap and sunglasses. She looked at him up and down “Yes, because _that_ will stop people from recognising you”

“Shut up” he straightened himself up and looked to her “Time you back then?”

“Who knows”

Aaron nodded and shrugged “Well you’ve got the spare room key right?”

Hayes nodded to him and waved the thing in her hand, Aaron gave her a small smile and rubbed her arm “Okay. See you later on” with a smug smirk on his face, he said as he was walking over to his door “And thanks for that”

Hayes rolled her eyes “Just go and make out with Scarlett Johansson will you”

“If you insist” he muttered as he opened the door and left. Hayes scoffed a small smile and did what she came in here to do in the first place. Have a cup of coffee.

* * *

More days past and it was almost impossible to get through to Jackson. He was literally having none of it. No matter how many messages she sent him. Even at night, Aaron heard her beside him whisper a voice message to him.

It wasn’t that he was worried about her, he knew she’d be alright. But he was worried that this whole Jackson thing would drag out so much that she’d end up marching down there and causing a scene till he’d see her. Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world that she’d have done but it would still have gotten her attention from the press. Hayes Morrison could drop her bag on the floor and it’d be spread everywhere.

It was his day off, it was the day on set where his character ‘goes missing’ so it was just the rest of the cast that were needed not him. So, he decided to try and voice in some help. He went to Jackson’s office. Which so happened to be Harper’s place of work and he wanted to avoid her like the plague. Aaron was let in through Jackson’s approval. He opened the door and walked into his office.

Jackson looked up from writing down something for his mother’s campaign “Well. I kinda thought it was a joke when they said you were asking for me”

Aaron grumbled a laugh and walked over to him, holding his hand out “Jackson. Been a while”

Jackson did the noble thing and shook his hand. Jackson wasn’t like his parents, he didn’t try to swear Hayes off of Aaron. But he was cautious and protective like any big brother is, he just didn’t want Hayes to get hurt again. Aaron slipped his hand in his pocket and said “Look I know it’s not really my place to say-”

“Then why are you here?”

Aaron remained in silence for a moment and then said “Look, Jackson I...I know we haven’t seen each other or spoke since Hayes and I broke up”

“Remind me which time we’re talking about again?”

Aaron sighed “Come on, man, I’m trying to talk to you here. I know you’re worried bout her, I mean do you even know where she’s staying?”

Jackson remained silent and looked away from him, then hearing Aaron say “She’s crashing at mine if that makes you feel any better”

“It doesn’t”

“Well. I know where she’d rather be living”

Jackson looked to him as Aaron gave him a faint smile “With her brother” he leaned his hands on the table and added “Jackson. She’s cut up. I mean I’m surprised your voicemail isn’t full to it’s capacity cause she sending them none stop”

“I know I’ve heard them”

“And you really don’t feel like talking to her?”

Jackson sighed and rolled his eyes “Of course I feel like talking to her she’s my sister. But she messed up again. And everytime she did something stupid I was behind her but this? _This_ just tipped me off the edge”

“She’s done far worse than that interview”

“Doesn’t matter it was one stupid move too many” Jackson shook his head “And with all due respect Aaron. Thanks for taking in my sister but this really isn’t your business on how I should be feeling about her right now”

Aaron kept his eyes on Jackson for a moment and let out a defeated sigh. He and Hayes were more alike than they let on. Both stubborn as hell and won’t back down. He stood himself back up straight and fixed up his jacket. Aaron rubbed his lips together and cleared his throat as he nodded, sliding his hands in his pockets “Right. Okay...I just came here to try and y’know”

“Sorry you’ll have to go and give her a bad report”

“She doesn’t know I’m here” Aaron shrugged “Cause then I would have just been told to back off...have a good day Jacks” he walked over to the door and left Jackson to it.

That was a disaster. Aaron cursed under his breath as his eyes remained fixed on the concrete stairs when he bumped into someone heading his way “Oh shit sorry I-” he looked up to see that it was Conner Wallace. Aaron cleared his throat and muttered “Sorry”

He took one more step down when he heard Conner say “Interested hashtag you got trending yesterday”

Aaron turned to him and shrugged “Just tweeting about the truth. Nothing wrong with that is there?”

Conner laughed and shook his head “God, Hayes was just as much in the dark as you. You have no idea what has been going on”

“Do you?” Aaron snapped, walking back over to him and nodding to the building behind Conner “Jackson kicked her out, after you gave her a kick of your own because your own decision”

“Whoa whoa, Jackson kicked her out? Where is she staying?”

“So now you care? What? You gonna take her in to fill some _daddy warbucks_ fantasy”

Conner slid his hand back in his pocket and scoffed under his breath “She’s staying with you, isn’t she?”

“I was the only one she felt like she could depend on cause unlike others I don’t turn my back on her. Especially when she’s low”

Conner nodded to his words and then began to mock “Wow. Aaron that’s very noble of you. You and Hayes filling out that happy family thing you wanted for so long, this must be heaven for you”

“Believe me I’d rather her be happy at home with her brother”

“If that's what you want to keep telling yourself”

Aaron rolled his eyes and shook his head “Y’know I'm not even wasting my breath on you”

“Not what Hayes thought the other night” Conner mumbled as Aaron turned away. Only then to slowly turn back, his eyebrows pinched together as he shrugged his shoulder “The hell you talking about?”

“Well the night the whole cocaine thing came out. Before she was at her place she was at mine. With me. And it was pretty heated. Just like old times”

Aaron felt like his blood suddenly ran cold, he didn't know what to say exactly. On both things that Conner just said “You and Hayes? The other night”

“Yep”

“And old times what old times?”

He couldn't help but smirk “Chicago”

“Ch-Chicago? You slept together?”

Conner remained silent but still kept a smug look on his face to make Aaron believe that was the case. Aaron sighed heavily through his nose and looked away from him, looking down at the floor. He shook his head and then heard Conner say “So it looks like I do know how good she is”

Aaron let out a bitter angry grumbled laugh as he looked up. His smile was raging. Aaron bit his lip and muttered “You’re a lucky guy. Because if we weren't out here, where anyone could take a picture at any waking moment. You’d be on the fucking floor right now”

He surprised Conner by grabbing his hand and shaking it, but then he caught on by how he then felt like it was going to break by how tight Aaron was squeezing it. More and more till Aaron saw the squirm in his face. He then let go and put his hand back in his pocket, stepping down the stairs and walking away without saying anything else.  

* * *

That night, Hayes returned back home. Living with Aaron was odd. She liked it. But it was odd. They never got to the living together stage, not officially anyway, they would stay at each other’s place for a few days and change shifts. But this was different, she had nowhere to go. And again, an odd feeling to her was that she liked that.

She walked into his penthouse to see him at his kitchen island. Sat on a bar stool and finishing off a slice of his pizza. She took off her coat, hung it up and walked over to him, he looked up and gave her a forced smile “How was work?”

Hayes shrugged as she leaned down on the island “We’re getting through it but no hard cracks today”

Aaron nodded and looked down to the counter. Her brows pinched together, she felt and knew that something was wrong with him “What’s up?”

He didn’t reply or look up. Hayes leaned her head forward “Aaron”

He looked up and cleared his throat but still didn’t make eye contact with her, he rubbed his lips together “I ran into Conner Wallace today”

Hayes looked away and sighed. She already knew what was coming. Conner knew that Aaron hated him and therefore wanted to make him jealous. So of course he would have told Aaron about that kiss. Hayes gulped “Aaron-”

“So...did you? Did you and him kiss?” Aaron said as he looked up at her. She didn’t even have to look at him, she could hear the hurt in his voice. Hayes looked down to her hand on the counter and shrugged as she took her eyes back to him “Listen. It was just a heat of the moment thing it-”

“Doesn’t matter” Aaron shrugged, pulling a face to suggest that it was no bother. He took hold of his plate and put it in the sink. Hayes followed him with her eyes and shook her head “Don’t do that”

“Don’t do what?” he asked in a mutter, slowly turning to her and resting his hands behind him on the counter as he leaned against it.

Hayes shrugged “Don’t act like you don’t care”

“Sorry. Just taking a leaf out of your book” he sighed.

“What is that supposed to mean? I’ve never not cared about you”

Aaron looked up to her and raised his brows to her “No? You’re telling me that you haven’t been distant for the past what? Three years? At least”

“It doesn’t mean I never cared” Hayes argued back “It was because I cared too much”

Aaron scoffed and looked away from her, he ran the palm of his hand over his mouth and pinched his chin as he stood in silence, in thought. He shrugged and shook his head, trying his best to push past this as if it was nothing “Did you sleep together in Chicago?”

“Is that what he told you?...listen-”

“Look. The point is it doesn’t matter. You can kiss whoever the hell you want. Not as if we were going steady again or anything”

“I know...but…”

“But? We’re sleeping together. That’s never stopped you before”

Hayes put her hands back against the counter and sighed “That was different. You were in and out of town when we hooked up, this time you’ve...you’ve _really_ been here”

“Yeah and I would have been here for you for the rest of my…” he sighed and closed his eyes. He can’t go there with her. Especially when she doesn’t know, but Hayes caught onto what he was going to say, she looked at him confused “What do you mean by that?”

“Well we were serious many moons ago”

Hayes stared at him harder and slowly shook her head at him “No...no that’s not what you meant. The look on your damn face tells me that. What do you mean, Aaron?”

“Hayes. Please. Drop it”

“You know that I can’t” she dryly laughed. Aaron looked away from her and sighed. He didn’t want to tell her, he had kept this hidden for years to save himself what he thought would be humiliation. Especially now that even the word commitment would make Hayes run for the hills, but it didn’t always. Aaron lightly banged his hand on the counter and finally spoke “I erm. We’ve been on and off for the good run of nine god damn years, Hayes. Even I can't believe it's been that long. Three of them were solid”

Hayes nodded as she kept her eyes on him, her breathing came a little more deeper as she felt her heart racing like crazy. Aaron laughed to himself and muttered “Fuck. I was so in love with you” he looked to her as she remained silent, he shrugged and nodded his head to her “You know that, though”

She just nodded and let him carried on. Aaron took in another deep breath as he said “And I’ve never, to this day, felt anything quite like it. Mostly because I’ve never wanted to be with anyone else. You’re big shoes to fill...ones that I wanted to...commit to”

Hayes turned her head to the side ever so slightly with her eyes still on him a she slowly began to make her own assumptions. She then began to shake her head in a slow motion “No. Aaron you-”

“I bought a damn ring, Hayes” Aaron said with a heartbreaking smile. He then looked to a corner of the room and said “The one that you’ll find on Blake Lively’s finger” he then looked back to her “Ryan’s a pal”

Hayes shook her head and got back on track, holding her hand up to him. Ironically it being the left one “You bought a ring...to…”

Aaron slowly nodded with a smile “Yes, Hayes. I was going to propose to you”

She couldn’t help but laugh due to the sheer shock “Wha...when? When were you going to-”

Aaron then laughed “You’re going to find this funny” he remained silent for a moment. And it was enough for Hayes to figure it out all by herself “Oh jesus. The day I, the day I-”

“Dumped me? Yeah. I was waiting for you to come home, then you stormed in an emotional fit about whatever story your mom had let the press get their hands a hold of. And I had it in my sweater pocket. Just waiting for you to calm down so I could ask, actually give you something to smile about. But we never got to that part”

Hayes sighed and put her hand on her forehead, keeping her eyes closed. It fell silent between them for a moment. Hayes dropped her hand and put it on her hip. Neither of them really knew what to say to each other. Hayes felt her tears fill up. Just the thought of that happening was all she had ever wanted out of life. She gulped heavily “I would have said-”

“Please don’t” Aaron laughed “Don’t say anything about that. You see I’ve already made up this thing in my head where you throw the ring back at me and say I was acting crazy just so I can think that it was a good idea it didn’t happen. You said no, Hayes. You said _no_ ”

Hayes stared at him, seeing how he was pleading with her through just the look in his eyes to not argue with him. So for his sake, she remained silent. But he was wrong. Deep down he knew that. Hayes cleared her throat and said with a wobble in her voice “I will say this though”

She stared at him for a moment and then whispered “You underestimate how much I loved you” she then laughed and repeated his words “Because _fuck_ , Aaron. I was so in love with you” she quickly wiped the tear that ran down her cheek and made her way into the bathroom so he didn’t see anymore of her vulnerability.  

Aaron closed his eyes as he heard the bathroom door slam. He scratched the back of his head and punched the counter before leaning his hands against it and taking deep breaths.

Hayes pressed the back of her head against the door and just tried to let what she found out sink in. She never even thought he was the type of guy who wanted that, they never talked about anything like that when they were serious. Even when they did they were just joking.

  
She was in the bathroom for a good half an hour and then suddenly walked out and left without saying a word.


	7. Chapter 7

Hayes couldn’t believe she was doing this but she called her mother, asking her to come and see her in her office in CIU. Finding out what she just found out amongst everything else. She just needed to vent and her mother was pretty much her last resort. 

“Wallace isn’t talking to me. Jackson  _ really  _ isn’t talking to me...Aaron and I just had this...thing I don’t even know what to call it but...with the case I’m on now of kids losing their mom I just...all the signs pointed to you”

“Desperate times” Harper lightly joked.

“I was surprised you picked up the phone”

“I was curious” she shrugged “A phone call from you is a rare occurrence”

“I thought you’d be pissed”

Harper hummed as she took a sip of her drink and pointed to her “I’m not completely _unpissed_. But you needed to talk”

Hayes stared at her for a moment. She then did the morally right thing and apologised to her, she was genuinely sorry about it all. She wanted to her mother to succeed no matter how much she angered her, perhaps the main reason was because if Harper succeeded then that would mean Jackson succeeded.

“Your brother will be fine. As soon as my numbers recover, it’ll be yesterday's news...Wallace? Again, give it time. He’s just mad because his ego has been bruised but he he has always been so fond of you that he can’t not cut you out” she tilted her head and shrugged “With Aaron. Well you’ve yet to tell me what’s happened?”

Hayes leaned forward, her arms on her legs and rubbed her forehead with her palm. She rubbed her lips together and looked back up “I...I’ve been staying with him the past few days. Aaron bumped into Wallace and he told him that we kissed, last week and also said we slept together in Chicago which isn’t exactly accurate but” she sighed and then looked at her mother right in the eyes “He confronted me about and then told me that he...that he was going to propose to me, the day I broke up with him actually” 

Harper raised her brows to her, looking rather taken back by it all “ _ Wow _ ...well...that was something that I never expected from him. Perhaps I underestimate him. And what did you do after he told you this?”

Hayes shrugged “Came here”

“I thought so. You’ve got to go back eventually, so with Aaron. Go with your weapon of choice”

“What’s that?”

“The truth, which you wield with the skill and precision which is breathtaking to watch. Except with the people closest to you”

“Well, I haven’t exactly pulled punches with you or Jackson or dad-”

“I’m not talking about your opinions I’m talking about your  _ feelings  _ towards the people who matter to you...do you still love him, Hayes? Do you still love Aaron?” 

Hayes scoffed and looked away from her, but she didn’t answer which was an answer within itself. She shrugged and said “I’ve hurt him  _ again  _ and it may be the final straw. After this I feel like he’s just going to want to not want anything to do with me”

“And you’re okay with that?” 

Again she remained silent, but lightly shook her head. She was surprised to hear her other be so encouraging “So tell him. Tell him  _ why  _ whatever happened happened. See what happens...I know we have never approved of Aaron for you before but. As your mother I can see what the two of you have been through, and that even though you can’t see it. Your eyes light up around him”

Before Hayes had the chance to respond, her phone went off. Checking her message “I gotta go. Work stuff”

“Go. I know my way out”  

“Feelings will have to wait” Hayes said as Harper kissed her cheek, then looking to her and brushed her hair off of her face she gave one last slice of advice “Just don’t let them wait too long”

Hayes said nothing. She just gave her a faint smile and walked out.

* * *

The following morning, Hayes slept in Aaron’s guest room. He was already asleep when she got home from the breakthrough they had got from work cause he had a 5am set call so he had to get some sleep. She didn’t know how he’d feel if she just climbed into bed with him so she went in the guest room, which had a bed just as comfy. 

By the time she woke up, he was already gone. Now she just felt like they were going to be passing ships or something. 

Aaron was off his game all morning. Usually he puts off personal stuff and dives right into his acting, but this really threw him off. He had kept this whole proposal thing a secret for so long and now he was kind of feeling humiliated. Hayes was her own person she could do whatever she liked. He sure as hell did in their time apart, it’s who they were. But he felt humiliated within himself for thinking that something could be going on, that things were developing again with them. 

Hayes had all of it on her mind too. But with the stress of work on top of her, she didn’t give herself time to really think about it. She did do her daily call to Jackson though. She didn’t know it was facetime so she almost choked on Tess’s yogurt when he answered. 

_ “You’re never gonna give up are you?” _

Hayes quickly picked up the phone “No! We’ve closed another case I wanna tell someone about it”

_ “Well I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding someone to tell about it, goodbye Hayes” _

“Wait no I don’t wanna tell someone, I wanna tell you. I want to tell my brother. Please talk to me” 

_ “I’m gonna need more grovelling”  _

“Of course. You’re right, I screwed up. Me. I screwed up”

_ “How?” _

“I screwed up by thinking just because I was telling the truth it didn’t matter who I hurt along the way”

_ “And?” _

Hayes sighed and sat down in her chair “I have always accepted you are personally and I should have done the same with your career, that’s who you are too”

After a few more exchanges of grovelling, Jackson finally gave in and forgave her. Which was the best news she had gotten all week. She needed this. 

_ “You know. Half of me was just doing that for fun. The other half was already sold which you have Aaron to thank for” _

Hayes tilted her head to him “What?” 

_ “Oh yeah. He came round yesterday afternoon to my office, really fighting your corner for me to speak to you. Which I wasn’t expecting since you living with him is all he’s ever wanted”  _

Hayes sighed and sat back in the chair “Great...he really is as sweet as people tell me he is”

_ “Trouble?” _

“Conner told him that he and I kissed last week. Which is true but a mistake and told him we slept together in Chicago. Which is false we just fooled around...oh and I found out Aaron was planning on asking me to be  _ Mrs Smith _ many years ago” 

Jackson’s eyes widened and his brows flew up  _ “Are you serious?” _

Hayes nodded “Yeah he told me last night during our little...confrontation last night and I haven’t spoke to him since”

_ “Man, I’m sorry, Hayes. Listen I want you to move back in with me...but make sure you cover things up before you leave his place, okay?”  _

Hayes faintly smiled and nodded “Okay”

Aaron was on set all day. He got home when it was dark. Hayes had only been back for about half an hour too after talking to Frankie at her office. Aaron yawned as he took off his scarf and hung it up on the coat rack along with his jacket, seeing Hayes sat on the sofa arm with her suitcases packed. 

He sighed and shook his head “I’m not kicking you out”

“I spoke to Jackson” Hayes quickly answered, tugging a small smile “He’s forgiven me and wants me to move back in” 

Aaron folded his arms and leaned against the counter island in the kitchen “Oh. Well good”

Hayes slowly nodded and shrugged “So I guess I’m just gonna…”

Aaron tilted his head to her, his eyebrows pinched together “What’s up? Thought you’d be happy to move back in”

“I am” Hayes answered as she stood up from the couch “It’s just that. Wallace is getting in Naomi Golden”

“Your ex girlfriend” 

“That very one” Hayes sighed as she put her hand on the handle of her suitcase, then hearing him say “Also from Chicago”

Hayes looked up to him and put it boldly “I didn’t sleep with Wallace in Chicago. We hooked up, I was on the rebound from you. But we didn’t have sex. I swear” she looked him right in the eyes throughout it all. And Aaron always could trust her word, he could always tell when she was being honest. So he nodded and said “Okay” 

“As for the kiss I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But it was nothing”

“You can do-”

“Whatever I want I know but if I had heard you kissed a woman within this time we’ve spent together then I’d want to know” Hayes shrugged. She had a point, which he knew. He was just sick of looking like some fragile puppy. 

“Sure. Well look I’m sorry about this whole Naomi thing...I hope it works out alright”

Hayes gave him a faint smile and then sighed “Aaron-”

“I don’t want to get into the proposal thing, Hayes. Okay? It’s getting late, don’t want to keep Jackson waiting too long” 

This was a silent plea for Hayes to let this be and let it go. And though she couldn't, she would let it drive only herself crazy for now to let him have some peace. Hayes nodded and grabbed hold of her suit case and bag. She walked over to him, looking him in the eyes and said in a gentle voice “Thank you for the past few days. I’d be sleeping in my office if it wasn’t for you”

“Anytime” he mumbled. She could tell he was still feeling awkward or wounded. Or both.

She leaned forward and quickly kissed his cheek “And that is thank you for talking to Jackson” 

“Oh he told you about that, huh?”

“Yeah he did. And I’m grateful for you doing it. So thank you”

“Just wanted to help” Aaron said, giving her a tight and forced smile. Hayes let it be now. He watched her walk into the elevator, and give him a soft smile as the doors shut. And just like that, she was gone. 

* * *

After moving in with Jackson and the way she left things with him, she hadn’t spoke to Aaron. Granted it had only been two days but still, they usually talk everyday. It was weird, Hayes thought they left things on a level grounded note. But clearly, Aaron needed time. 

Last night however, he caught her attention again. By being on Jimmy Fallon live. At first she just had it on in the background whilst going through some files on her new case of a Portia Williams. Then when she heard his name being called on, she found her attention slowly drifting back onto him. He was wearing a grey checked suit and a navy blue tie. He looked good.  _ Very  _ good. He was there to talk about his new movie that he was wrapping up in just a few weeks, but before they got onto that. Jimmy Fallon wanted to touch up on something else “Now, there’s something I gotta ask”

“Uh oh”

Jimmy laughed for a moment, like he always does with every single guest he has on and then carried on “You were on Conan’s show about two weeks ago and he didn’t ask you about what you were on the front cover for that week”

Aaron just let out a small smirk and looked to the audience as they made a wooing noise. Hayes took in a deep breath and tossed her files to the side of her and sunk down in the couch. She was well aware what he was on the front covers for around that time, it was the pap pictures taken of their little bust up in that bar. Aaron looked to Jimmy and shrugged as he shook his head “He did not. But I have a feeling you’re going to”

“Well it’s just. Wanna touch up on it is all because I-a few days after you were seen tweeting about Hayes Morrison, singing her praises and even got a hashtag trending worldwide, just  _ days  _ after it looked like she hated you” 

Aaron let out a breathless laugh along with the audience’s clear amusement, he rubbed his leg and once again shook his head “Ah Jimmy if only you knew how much of an often occurrence that is with Hayes and I” the audience laughed again.

“Really?”

“Really-look, look. Hayes and I have always had a pretty explosive relationship. That is no secret, it’s been spread over the papers for so many years now. But here’s the thing. It’s the way we are and we work so well as a friendship and it worked well when we were in a relationship cause we can be kind of similiar in that sense” 

“So you don’t hate her?” Jimmy teased.

“If there is one person in the world I don’t hate, it’s Hayes Morrison. I’ve never hated her and I’m sure I never will. You see me getting something trending about her it’s not something for publicity or to get people talking I am genuinely just showing my support in a bold way because-well did you see that interview she did?”

“I did. I thought it was great”

“Exactly, it was great no matter what people in the whole congress government circle may say. It was great and I was just expressing that on social media. If I wasn’t an actor or ‘famous’ I still would have tweeted that. Would’ve gotten a hell of a lot less retweets but...even if I didn’t know her which I consider myself very lucky that I do but”

Hayes found herself smiling like an insane person. Taking deep breaths as she felt herself et surprisingly choked up, she then watched as Jimmy asked “So romance. There? Not there?”

Aaron let out a nervous laugh and shook his head “Hayes and I have been just close friends for a good few years now and that’s that” 

Good answer. He answered the question without really answering the question. Two people can be friends with romance or whatever it is they had. Jimmy swiftly moved on and actually got talking about Aaron’s movie. Which did sound great and there was already talk of Oscar buzz for him, which she hoped would come true. It’s something he’s really been working towards. After his time was up, she turned off the TV and decided it’d be best to take herself to bed. 

* * *

The following afternoon. Hayes was in the boardroom with the team. Sat at the end of the table and running through the facts that they did have. They were getting pretty heated with the debate on race. Well, Tess, Frankie and Maxine were. Hayes and Sam just kept out of it. 

Tess rolled her eyes at Frankie’s sly dig at her and looked to the side. When she did. She couldn’t believe what or better yet who she saw “Oh my god”

Hayes looked to her “What?”

“I-Is that Aaron Smith?” 

Hayes’s head practically snapped to where Tess was looking. So it was. With two cups of coffee in his hand. Hayes then heard Sam mutter to the rest of them “Just been close friends he said”

Hayes looked to him and scoffed a smile “Didn’t have you down as a Fallon fan. Or wait are you one of  _ his  _ fanboys?” she stood before he had the chance to even think of anything to say and walked out of the conference room. 

“Do they let anyone in these days?”

“Since when was I just anyone?” he smirked. Certainly seeming more chipper than he did the last time she saw him, he laughed and shook his head “No the pretty little receptionist recognised me, knew me and you were close and I said I needed to see you”

“So in other words, you flashed her that charming smile and big baby blues and said pretty please”

“Pretty much” he laughed, then holding up one of the cups “Just the way you like it”

Hayes took it with caution, she didn’t need to check it. That wasn’t what she was curious about. The thing she was curious about was as to why he was bringing her this. She squinted at him as she took hold of it and said “I saw your interview last night...usually I’d expect you to bring me a coffee  _ just the way I liked it _ if you said something shitty but you said nothing but nice things about me and us last night” 

He followed her as she walked forward a little, only to turn to him as he said “Yeah but it got me thinking, being on there last night”

Hayes stared at him for a moment and then asked “About?”

Aaron shrugged, as if the answer was obvious and said “You” 

After a brief moment of being lost in his gaze, she looked to the side and saw the team looking at them with very invested looks on their faces. Hayes rolled her eyes at him and then tugged his hand for him to follow her into her office. Which was still all glass and if you spoke even a smidge too loud they’d be able to hear but still they would be able to have a bit more chance of speaking privately. 

Hayes put the coffee of her desk and turned to him with a smile on her face “What about me?” 

Aaron shrugged “Just that. Me being all sulky about what happened isn’t fair on you. It’s not your fault what happened and it was so many years ago, it was just you finding out was something that I never really wanted” 

“I understand that. I don’t think I’d want you finding out either if it was the other way around”

“I just let stupid thoughts get into my head that’s all. You know what I can get like sometimes, you been with me through my best and worst times with my anxiety and paranoia”

“I know” she said in a more gentle tone as she nodded to him. Aaron let out a small smile to her as he took a breath “Spending so much time together over these past few weeks is doing something to me. Cause it’s only been two days and I’ve missed you, Ace” 

“Did you really?” she lightly teased. Aaron nodded as he took a step closer to her “Yeah…”

Before he even had the chance in doing anything, she put her hand on his chest and whispered “I really wish I had curtains or something hung up in this office”

Aaron looked around and had only now realised that her entire office was see through. Letting out a sheepish laugh as he said “Oh” 

Hayes saw the whole team still looking at them in the corner of her eye and sighed a smile “But if they’re after a show” Hayes gripped onto his jacket and pulled his lips onto hers for a gentle and pretty seductive moment, lightly moaning as her head turned the other way with her tongue brushing up against his. She patted his chest and then pulled away. Aaron let out a small smile with his eyes still closed for a moment and then looked to her as he lifted his head back up. 

“Any excuse to have some of me” 

Hayes smirked and shrugged “So sue me, I’m a lawyer I’m sure I could get myself out of it” 

“Believe me. I wouldn’t sue you for anything” Aaron muttered as he put his hands in his pockets. He glanced to her team, who looked away as soon as they felt like they were caught out, he then looked back to her and said “Let me know if you ever want to put on another show”

“I do prefer to have our shows in private but um. Thanks for the offer. I’ll put it into consideration”

“Good...I’ll leave you to it I just wanted to drop that off for you” He smiled and winked to her, walking over to her office door, he turned his head to her and said “Should warn you though, I don’t come cheap” 

“Well, you’ve always been willing to give me a discount”

Aaron pushed open the door and couldn’t help but laugh “You know me, Ace”

“All too well” 

Aaron stepped out the office, looking to the team and giving them a wave. Totally mocking them for acting like they weren’t spying. Hayes kept her eyes on him as he left, with an amused lightly smile still on her face. She took hold of the coffee and walked back in the conference room, saying as soon as she did so “Not a single word”

* * *

That night, Hayes invited Naomi round to her office for drinks. Well, she had other places in mind but Naomi said office. She knew that she shouldn’t really be suggesting something to Naomi after the whole thing with Aaron, but she just couldn’t help but flirt. An old habit. 

“You do know that Wallace has brought you here because for whatever reason, he’s trying to make me jealous”

“I’m not stupid, Hayes” Naomi said as she took the glass of whiskey out of her hand, watching Hayes sit beside her “Are you?”

“He should be so lucky” Hayes smirked, sitting back in her chair “Wallace has ideas in his head. It doesn’t make them any less false” 

Naomi tilted her head and said “So what Wallace has told me is true”

“Depends what he’s told-”

“You’re still not over that actor you broke up with before coming to Chicago. Before hooking up with Wallace and dating me, then dumping me because you weren’t over him”

Hayes looked away from her and heard Naomi said “Well. If anything it’s quite nice. Seeing that I wasn’t just dumped for a guy you’d be over within the passing weeks” she looked down at her glass, Hayes shook her head and said “I’m not here to talk about him”

“It always was a sore subject” 

Hayes looked up to her, looking into her eyes “You never cared before”

“It never mattered before. You caught my eye...I never worried about the rest” 

“Do I still? Catch your eye?”

Naomi just smirked to her, she bit her lip and whispered “We should have met at your place”

God she was tempted. Hayes let out a breathless grin and looked down to her drink for a moment, she looked back up to her “Well. It’s not that far away”

Hayes phone soon went off, Naomi skimmed her eyes down to it and smirked once again “Hm. I wonder you’d be thinking of instead”

Hayes said nothing, she just kept her eyes on her phone for a moment more and then dragged her eyes back to Naomi who grabbed her coat and said as she stood up “I have work to do anyway. But um. Say hi to Aaron for me” 

Hayes just sat there and listened to her walk away. She couldn’t even fool Naomi. And that woman would sleep with her no matter what. Hayes threw her head back for a moment and groaned. She didn’t want to get in too deep. But it was beginning to feel like she wasn’t going to have a real choice. 

She got up, left the office and headed to her next destination.

Hayes walked into Aarons apartment, like he asked her to do when he text her. Hayes walked in and shrugged “Okay, what was so urgent that you wanted me here?”

Aaron said nothing, he just tossed his TV remote to the side and walked straight over to her, Hayes was confused at first but then when he wrapped his arms around her waist and clashed his lips onto hers, she kind of got the message. He picked her up from the floor and pressed her back against the wall. Hayes bit his bottom lip as she dragged away from him in the space to say “What is this for-”

“Since when do we need a reason, Ace” Aaron roughly grumbled under his breath before kissing her again. He carried her to the couch and lay on top of her, with her legs hooked around his waist. 

“I figured since we didn’t get a chance to do what we wanted to do before” Aaron said as he pulled her blouse from being tucked underneath her pants and ran his hands across her stomach before kissing it “I thought we could just carry it on here”

“So there is a reason “Hayes teased. 

Aaron sighed as he looked to her, looking at her amused smile and then teased her back with “If you don’t wanna-”

“No. Shut the fuck up” Hayes whispered, pulling on his sweater and taking his lips back to hers, he then whispered “We can go in the bedroom”

“Here’s fine. We’ve been in tighter spots” she smirked against his lips and added “Literally” Aaron grumbled a low laugh and brushed his tongue back up against hers, pressing his hips back down to her and slowly undressing each other. 


	8. Chapter 8

“A camera crew. A  _ fucking  _ camera crew, Aaron” Hayes said as she paced back and forth in her office, looking outside to the filmmaker, whose name was Paul and his camera man set themselves up around the place. She knew Conner was pissed at her but she never thought that he’d try to make her work life harder.

Hayes heard him laugh over the phone  _ “Camera crew for what?” _

“For this new case. Leo Scarlata. He’s mental health problems and has been in prison for fifteen years, accused of starting a fire at his family resturant. Killed one guy and injured the other”

_ “Should you be telling me this?” _

“Why not?” Hayes then opened the door and said loudly “It’ll be in theatres everywhere for the who world to see!” she shut the door again and turned back around, not even waiting to see Paul or Conner turn to her. 

_ “Look. If he’s just there to get facts from the case. You just gotta be civil”  _

“He’s going to be in my way” Hayes said as she looked over her shoulder “And even if he is just here for the facts. He’s just using Leo to make money” 

_ “It’s the business, Hayes. Look at all these movies in dedication to past legends. Elvis Presley. Amy Winehouse. Martin Luther King. All movies that have played a tribute to the star but behind it all were all made to make a financial benefit. Doesn’t make the director's bad guys” _

Shit he was right. She hated it when he was right whilst she was ranting. Hayes sighed and groaned “Fine”

_ “Blunt much” _

“Sorry”

_ “I’m on your side through thick and thin, Ace. I’m just tryna give you advice so you don’t do the full Hayes Morrison effect on him. I’m the only one entitled to that”  _

Hayes smirked as she looked down to the floor “Fine”

Aaron muttered a laugh  _ “Enjoy the ride. I’ll speak to you later” _

“Bye” Hayes rubbed her lips together and hung up the phone. She took in a deep breath, to find some zen. She put her phone in her pocket and walked out of the office, as soon as she did. She had a camera put right in her face with Paul asking “So...who was that?”

“No one that has anything to do with this case” Hayes said bluntly, walking towards the conference room where everyone else was. Then hearing Paul say behind her “Was it Aaron Smith by any chance?” 

Hayes stopped as her hand fell onto the door, she turned to him and smiled as she threatened to him “Keep away from Aaron” she pushed the door open and walked in the room. If she heard they have been sniffing around Aaron she’d break their damn camera, her personal life was off limits to these people. She could just about stomach the idea of them following her around for the case. 

It wasn’t as if she was going to make their life easy though, in fact she was going to make their life a living hell in having the agenda that it would get that them to give up on filming them and let them try to find justice for this case with Leo without distractions. And she was really determined to try and prove that Leo was innocent, because he seemed for too vulnerable to have done this. 

Hayes got off the phone to the prison, getting Paul’s rights revoked that makes him not allowed to follow her to see Leo. When she walked out the office again she had the camera on her face as Paul asked “So when would you like to do your one on one interview?”

“Never”

“It’d only be five minutes. Tops” 

“You’re here to make a movie about Leo. You don’t need to know anything about me”

“Pretty sure the audience are going to notice that Hayes Morrison is running the investigation. Might be useful for them to get to know the real you...find out-”

“All about my personal relationships” Hayes finished his sentence, hating that he was trying to be subtle about it when it was already pretty clear what he wanted to ask, Hayes snarked even more by mocking a gasp “Including my on and off relationship with Aaron Smith which is a current hot of the press topic. _Oh you_ ”

Paul sighed and laughed “Am I that see through”

“You all are” Hayes said as she opened the fridge. Paul crossed his arms as he watched her take out a yogurt pot “Well. What do you have to say about it?”

“Nothing” Hayes slammed the fridge door shut and looked to him “You are here to film CIU’s investigation period”

“Didn’t realize it had you so traumatized”

“What?”

“Growing up in the White House. All the cameras around... affecting relationships…”

“It has nothing to do with that” Hayes unpeeled the top of the yogurt off “What bothers me is that way my team act around you. That and your delusion. You think your helping Leo in a way of exploiting him” 

No matter what Paul tried to give to her, she called back with him something better that made it harder for him to have a comeback. Hayes left him and his wounded pride from being humiliated by her saying on camera how she had gotten his rights revoked. 

* * *

Two days into the investigation, Aaron was welcomed by Hayes’s camera crew, which is something that he was expecting to happen sooner or later. Aaron walked out of his apartment building to have a camera soon in his face. Aaron glanced to Paul and carried on walking.

“Aaron Smith. I’m Paul, I’m directing the film for Leo Scarlata that your friend Hayes is running”

Aaron nodded with a tight smile and carried on walking “Well. I’m sure she’ll get the job done” 

“Oh yeah sure...so you and Hayes have been close for a long time now, huh?”

Aaron looked straight ahead and once again nodded “Seems like it” he kept his answers vague in order that Paul and his little camera would eventually give up and let him be, feeling either satisfied or slightly underwhelmed by it all. Either way he stuck to his plan. Paul glanced to his camera then back to Aaron “Must mean a lot to her considering she usually blows people off”

“Guess I’m lucky” Aaron said. 

“And you, you must really care about her too considering you stand by her no matter what she’s put you through”

His words brought Aaron to a halt. He never looked in the character, not once. He just kept his eyes onto Paul, looking at him with a stern expression on his face, he shook his head and muttered “She’s never put me through anything”

It wasn’t exactly true, but he didn’t want to look like some kind of victim. He’s put her through things too. They were equal partners and always have been. Aaron hitched his breath and soon added on “You’re supposed to be doing a film on this Leo guy right? Then quit snooping around about Hayes and I”

“So there’s  _ is  _ a you and Hayes?”

Aaron said nothing, he just tucked his hands in his pockets and walked past him. He carried on walking and had no interest whatsoever in saying anything else, then hearing Paul call to him “Even when she and Conner Wallace have something going on?”

Aaron stopped again. He bit his lip. Trying to push down all of his anger to the pit of his stomach. Now he could have really punched him. Aaron took one step back before turning around and putting the palm of his hand over the camera to then snarled “Let me make this clear. Stay the hell outta Hayes’s personal life. Don’t bother me about her again else I’ll break the camera a part of your body. We good?” 

Paul gulped heavily and nodded. Aaron could literally snap him in half, now was no time to act cocky like he usually does. Aaron faked a tight smile to him and then threw his hand off of the camera, pushing Paul back a little in the process. Aaron put his hand back in his pocket and continued to walk down the street. This time he wasn’t followed. 

Aaron pulled his phone out and called Hayes “Hey, where are you now?”

_ “Currently getting a coffee about three blocks from your place. Was going to come and see you” _

“No need I’m on my way to you”

_ “What?”  _ Hayes said with a confused laugh. 

“Stay where you are” Aaron said in a teased whisper, a smirk growing on his face. He put the phone back in is jean pocket. Seeing a few people take a fair few pictures of him walking into the coffee shop that probably snapped Hayes doing the same thing. Aaron walked in to find Hayes sat at a booth. He sat across the way from her and her mischievous little grin as she looked to him “Hello”

“Hello” Aaron said as he sunk into the leather seat. Hayes took the blow horn that she used to torment Paul out of her bag and slid it over the table to him “Thank you for your assistance”  

“My pleasure. You get a kick out of it?” Aaron said as he took the horn and put in his leather bag. Aaron took a breath as he looked back to her “How’s it all going?”

“It would be going better if I didn’t have that director crawling up my ass. He was just there with me now when I went to go see Leo. Could tell he was freaked out with the big camera pointing at him in the corner” 

“Yeah I know how he feels” Aaron muttered.

Hayes raised a brow to him “You’re an actor” 

Aaron let out a breathless laugh and shook his head “Different when it’s off set”

Hayes rubbed her lips together as she kept her eyes to him and shrugged “Something just happened that I don’t know about?”

The waitress came over with the drinks that Aaron had ordered on the way in. Aaron waited for the waitress to put the cups down on the table and walk away. Aaron leaned back forward and put his hands around the mug, looking back to her he said “Your little buddy Paul just paid me a visit. Waited outside my apartment and asking me all about you and me”

“ _ What _ ?” Hayes quietly gasped “And I literally threatened him to stay away from you”

“Aw. Really?” Aaron teased, mocking her by reaching and holding her hand. Hayes rolled her eyes and took her hand away. Still shooting him an amused smirk. Aaron shook his head to her “Don’t worry. I didn’t say anything. Oh but he did like to get me all nice and riled up by mentioning your douche co worker”

“He mentioned Conner?”

Aaron nodded with a tight smile “Which caused me to grab his camera, threaten and then push him before walking away and coming to see you” 

Hayes raised her brows to him “You get tense when he’s mentioned”

“I don’t like him being associated with you in that way because he’s a manipulative dick...who thought that he could hurt you by bringing your ex here...and yes there’s a  _ hint  _ of jealousy”

Hayes softly smiled to him. She appreciated him for things like that, he always had her back and would always stand up and try to put a stop to her being labelled as something or being made a fool of. She also liked hearing he gets jealous. It was also nice to know. Hayes cleared her throat before saying “Well I’m sorry. I’ll tell him to back off,  _ again _ ”

“Don’t worry bout it. Not like we aren't used to it right?” Aaron said with a light laugh.

“He’s supposed to be following the story of Leo Scarlata. Not Hayes Morrison”  

Aaron shrugged and sat back as he took a sip of his coffee, staring at her which did not go unnoticed. Hayes shrugged to him “What?” 

Aaron once again shrugged with a smirk and whispered “You look gorgeous is all” 

Hayes let out a brief quick grin before trying to play it down and be cool with his genuine compliments. He gave her a cocky smirk “Am I making you blush?”

Hayes stared at him in silence and shook her head “Drink up” 

“What’re you doing tonight? Me?”

Hayes laughed breathlessly “As tempting as that is, I actually have work to do. Late nights in the office” 

“Want some company?” Aaron smirked. Hayes grinned and bit her lip. Running her hand briefly over his as she whispered in a seductive manner “I can’t have any distractions tonight, and you, my friend. Are the biggest distraction I have” 

“I’ll take that as a compliment” 

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow” Hayes smirked, sitting back against the back of the seat. Aaron laughed “Oh yeah?”

“I’m a woman of my word” 

“I’ll hold you to that”

“I hope you do” Hayes said as she took the whipped cream off of her latte and planted it in her mouth. 

* * *

The next morning. Hayes marched into Conner’s office, she had two things to bite at Paul, she hadn’t seen a peep out of him all yesterday evening, most likely because he was spooked by Aaron. Which was her first bone to pick.

“Did I or did I not specifically tell you to leave Aaron Smith alone?” she snarled as she stopped in the middle of the room, with the damn camera in her face and rolling. Paul sighed and rolled his eyes “I was just-”

“You said you were here to make a documentary about a possible wrongfully convicted man. It was never in the contract that you were allowed to invade  _ my  _ privacy”

Conner laugh and shook his head “You’re Hayes Morrison and Aaron Smith. Privacy isn’t really what you guys do best”

“That doesn’t make it okay for people to follow us. He waited outside of Aaron’s home to  _ interrogate  _ him about me, just because we have always been in the public eye doesn’t mean we don’t get to have privacy” she then turned to Paul and snapped “Are you a filmmaker or the press?”

“Hayes just take it easy” Conner muttered as he leaned against the desk. Hayes stared at him for a moment and then something else sprung to mind, she pointed to Conner as she looked to Paul “Let’s get one thing straight. There is nothing nor will there ever be something going on between me and Conner. Okay?” 

Paul shrugged “Your boyfriend was certainly riled up bout it” 

Hayes looked down and muttered “Yeah well he just doesn’t like the imagery” she looked up to Conner and said with a snarl “None of us do” 

Conner raised his brows briefly with a defeated smirk on his face and looked away from her. Hayes hitched her breath and looked back to Paul “Do we have an understanding?”

“Sure”

“Okay. Now onto my next question. What the in the hell gives you the right to bury evidence that might have changed this case?” 

“What?” Conner choked a laugh, standing back up straight. 

“Sam found a deleted video in your recycle bin of Vince saying that when Leo gets angry he sets things on fire. Leo setting fire to the treehouse parallels him setting fire to the restaurant it is beyond damaging and you withheld it”

“That story would never be allowed in court” Paul argued.

“I don’t care about the court I care about the truth. Clearly an alien concept to you”

Conner once again tried to chime in “Hayes I think it-”

“He buried footage that makes Leo look guilty, hid it from us”

Paul stood up “Your employee stole footage from me worth thousands of dollars that’s felony theft”

After Conner shut him down on that allegation, Paul walked further to Hayes and fought his point across, still trying to be the hero and that he was trying to help Leo and help people like him in the process. But Hayes wasn’t buying any of it. Not for one second. 

“Underneath the empathy for people like Leo you’re a  _ whore  _ and I’m done”

“Hayes-”

Hayes turned to Conner “I choose the case remember? I’m unchoosing this one”

“You can’t do that. We had an agreement”

“Then  _ you’re  _ a whore too!” Hayes pointed to him, watching the smug look wipe away from his face, she wanted nothing more. She turned to the cameraman who has bothered her for the past three damn days “Get that out of my face!” she knocked him aside which knocked out the camera.

Something Aaron only dreamed of doing. 

* * *

More days past and Paul sure as hell was not backing down from sticking around despite what Hayes did and said. She was let down in herself, usually she was good at getting people to give up around her. With one day remaining, the team felt like they had made a great discovery. They thought that Leo had set the restaurant on fire by accident which would help him get him out. Hayes was so happy deep down, she cared about Leo. He needed protecting and help, not to be locked up with real criminals who have committed real wrongs.

She called Aaron as she was heading to the prison to meet Leo, and it lit Aaron up hearing her sound so relieved and happy about it, it proved that she really felt like she was doing good in this job, which is why he was bummed when he got the next call from her being the total opposite. 

“He won’t say it was an accident” Hayes sighed as she walked down the street.

Hearing Aaron then sigh himself  _ “Oh man. I’m sorry Ace. Did he say why?” _

She shrugged “Said he was following the rules and that he never messed up...I don’t think he understands” 

_ “You alright? You sound upset” _

“Would you judge me if I said that I was?” Hayes asked when she stopped outside the building, looking up at it, she then looked back down and asked “Could you come over?”

_ “Over?” _

“To CIU. My office. I could do with the company” 

_ “Hang tight. I’ll be there in ten”  _

Hayes hung up and stayed outside the building. After all she’d only have to come and let him in anyway. And he was good at sticking to his word by saying that he won’t be long, because the ten minutes didn’t feel that long at all, before she knew it. He was walking down the street to her. With a warm and sympathetic smile on his face. He put his hand on her back “You okay?”

“I need a drink” she sighed, feeling him rub her back which just made her melt inside. 

“Let’s get you inside then” 

Hayes looked over the street and saw Paul get out of his car with his little camera, Hayes took hold of Aaron’s hand and said “We better be quick about it” 

Aaron looked over his shoulder to see what she meant and was then dragged away before he could say anything. They scurried into the elevator. Aaron didn’t want to say anything but he couldn’t help but notice how her hand was still entwined with his. She surprised him even more by the way she rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. She was exhausted and defeated. He was exactly what she needed right now as her comfort blanket. They reached the floor, when the doors opened. There was Paul putting the camera in their faces “Took the stairs. You okay?”

Hayes and Aaron just walked, still he was surprised that she didn’t let go of his hand “Never better” she said bluntly.

“For what it’s worth...thank you, you did everything humanly possible for Leo”

“Except get him out of prison” Hayes answered back, still being blunt but you could also tell how upset at herself she was at this. Paul glanced to Aaron for a brief moment, seeing the worry on his face as he kept his eyes locked on Hayes, Paul looked back and said “Wasn’t your fault”

“Who cares whose fault it is? Doesn’t suck any less”

“You really care about Leo, don’t you?”

“He doesn’t belong in prison”

“Way he won’t budge off what he thinks is right. Almost reminds me of you”

His words brought Hayes to a halt. Same with Aaron. For one in the brief time of knowing Paul, he actually agreed. Hayes stuck to her guns and had integrity in her actions. Leo seemed to be the same. Hayes shrugged “I wish I had half his heart”

She felt Aaron squeeze onto her hand as if to tell her not to sell herself short like she always does, Hayes looked to him for a brief moment, then noticing the camera was still rolling she gave Paul an exhausted look to request that he’d stop. And to her surprise and relief, he did. Hayes took Aaron and walked past Paul into the kitchen of the office, the door closing behind her, she slowly slipped her hand out of Aaron’s and pressed her back against the glass.

Aaron leaned his arm against it as he faced her, scanning her face and mumbled quietly “Okay?”

Hayes took a deep breath and looked straight ahead. Seeing what was in front of her “You’ve got to be bullshitting me” 

Aaron looked to the bowl, confused as she slowly walked over to the counter where it lay “What? The M&M’s?” 

Hayes rested her hands on the counter as she looked down to them “Paul must’ve put them here for some late night filming...Leo...they’re his favourite, he gave me one. His older brother Vince said it must means that he likes me”

“I bet he does” Aaron nodded to reassure her. Hayes stared at the bowl harder and soon felt this boiling bubble of anger build him, as some brief moment of sheer rage, she hit the bowl with the side of her fish, smashing the bowl and making the M&M’s fall to the floor, she walked away a little. Aaron quickly walked to her and lightly took hold of her arm as he heard her breathing get heavily and her eyes fill up “Hey, hey, it’s okay”

Hayes let out a shaken deep breath and closed her eyes as Aaron put his hand to the side of her head at the back and pulled her close to rest on his chest, Hayes weakly grabbed onto his coat at the waist as his hand remained where it was with the other on her waist. She carried on taking breaths, to open her eyes and see Paul filming them. Hayes pulled away from Aaron ever so slightly and yelled through the glass “Do you  _ ever  _ stop?” 

Aaron turned his head and saw what he was doing. It was then him who had this bubbling anger “Son of a-”

“Aaron” 

“Hey!” Aaron called, walking over to the door and opening to shout down to Paul “Delete that damn thing now the hell is wrong with you?” Aaron closed the door for a moment and watched Paul return to his equipment, Aaron shook his head as he watched it “I’ll do it if he doesn’t. Seriously where does this guy get off-” he turned and saw her staring at the fridge. 

Aaron walked away from the door and back over to her “What is it? Yogurt thief? That you?” he smirked to her in attempts to cheer her up. Hayes didn’t react to it though, she was too busy pinning things together. She took a step back and patted his arm, still not really listening to what he said, more on what she said “I need files”

“You need what?” 

“Files. And a ride” Hayes said finally looking at him “Did you walk?” 

“Erm yeah”

Hayes groaned and rolled her eyes. Aaron shook his head, confused and turned to her “You don’t have my car? The one I lent you?” Hayes stopped and thought for a moment “Oh yeah...hm. Go in my office and look for the keys”

“Hayes Alexandra Morrison if you’ve lost the keys to my rover-”

“I haven’t lost them! I don’t think. Just go and look.  _ Please _ , this is important” 

He couldn’t argue with her for long. He was never able to argue with her for long, even when they were dating, their fights were mainly just her shouting, him answering back and then soon just backing out and wanting to make up as soon as possible. Sometimes she didn’t make it that easy. He did as he was told like a good boy and got looking for the keys, luckily for her and him. He found the car keys, if he lost them he would have died. Aaron held them up and called “Got em” 

“Good. Let’s go” Hayes marched out of the conference room with the file she needed in the hand, looking certainly like a woman on a mission. 

Aaron remained in the car whilst Hayes went in the prison and visited Leo. He even fell asleep, it was his own fault. Jazz FM always makes him sleepy. He was tucked in tight in his leather seat, then to be woken up by the slam of a door, he looked and saw Hayes now sat beside him, her eyes were red. 

Aaron sat himself up and said through his groggy half asleep voice “Hey...what happened?”

“He was set up” Hayes said with her eyes closed and the back of her head pressed against the headrest of the seat, after a moment of silence, she opened her eyes and lifted her head “His sister in law framed him” 

She shook her head, her eyes beginning to fill up again “A guy as innocent and vulnerable as him. And a member of his own family does that...I just...I don’t get it” 

“Don’t get yourself worked up over it, Hayes” Aaron whispered to her as he took hold of her hand “Some people just do things we can never understand” 

Hayes gripped to his hand and kept her eyes down on it. Her eyebrows pinched together, she shook her head and said in a small cry “God I’m such an idiot I almost let this slip” 

“Stop it” Aaron whispered. Putting his hand on the back of her head and bring her close to him, her forehead rested on his shoulder as she took a deep breath. Aaron stroked her hair and just let him be a comfort to her. Every so often, she just needed someone to hold her. Aaron lightly kissed the top of her forehead, she then lifted her head and pressed her forehead against his. With her eyes still closed and brows pinched together, taking in a breath. She leaned forward more and pressed her lips against his. Putting her hand to his cheek and pulling him in closer. She lightly rubbed her nose against his before he kissed it. Hayes leaned back, took a breath and whispered “Take me home” 

Aaron pushed the strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, nodding and then whispering back “Okay” 


	9. Chapter 9

With the case with Leo officially taken care of and he was free. It meant for her to be free of Paul and his cameraman. Hayes sat in her office in silence strumming her fingernails on the table when there was a knock on her door and Paul stepped in “We’re going”

“Bye” Hayes said with a sarcastic grin and a wave. Paul smiled with a defeated smile, after everything, Hayes still couldn’t stand him. He took something out of his pocket, a disk. Waving it in his hand and tossing it on her desk “Parting gift”

Hayes looked to the disk and reached over and took hold of it, then hearing him say “Goodbye Hayes. It’s been...interesting”

Hayes just glanced to him and briefly raised her brows to him with a tight smile. Once he’d gone, she leaned back in her chair and put the disk that read ‘Behind the Scenes’ in her laptop. To her surprise, it was an interview of Aaron. Date said it was done late last night, must’ve been after he took her home. 

He looked annoyed and exhausted. Aaron frowned to Paul and sighed _ “Look I don’t-” _

_ “You want me to delete that video of Hayes I will. As long as I can get some words from you”  _ Paul said. 

Hayes groaned under her breath. Snake. She saw how much Aaron was contemplating it, he then sighed  _ “What do you want me to say? You want hot gossip cause that’s just worse than what you’ve got of her-” _

_ “No. No. I just want an insight on all of the investigators. For my movie just...just tell me what she’s like. Who is Hayes Morrison” _

Aaron looked to the camera for a moment and then to Paul, raising his brows to him “That’s all you want?”

_ “That’s all I want”  _

Aaron looked to the camera once again, Hayes felt like he was looking right at her. Aaron took another deep breath and leaned against his car, sliding his hand in his pocket 

_ “Hayes is...Hayes is the kind of person that you think is what you see is what you get. Reckless, irresponsible. Self destructive. That’s how the media portray her and it’s like a fragment of who she really is. When Hayes said she wishes she had half of Leo’s heart she doesn’t realise how big her heart truly is. She cares about so many people and get frustrated and maybe even lashes out when she feels that she can’t protect them. I’ve known her for so long now, she the person I’ve only ever managed to hold onto over the years and without her. To be honest I’d be a little lost. I’ll never meet anyone like her and I’d never want to. She is...my diamond in the rough”  _ he finished his sentence with a warm smile, then shrugging  _ “Hayes Morrison is the most incredible woman”  _

_ “Alright then. Thank you for your time” _

The video ended and Hayes found a tear run down her cheek, she let out a breathless laugh, laughing to herself from getting all mushy and emotional and wiped her tear. Hayes put her hands on her head as she leaned back and took a deep breath. Not being able to stop herself from having a smile lingering on her face. 

“Jeez, where’s my camera. She’s smiling” Hayes looked up and saw Aaron stood at the door frame with a smile on his face, he walked in “Thought I’d find you here. I got a wrap party to get to but before I thought I’d stop by and-”

He stopped as Hayes shot up from her chair and lunched at him, clashing her lips over his and wrapping her arms around his neck. Taken by surprise at first. Aaron soon found his feet and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulling her body closer to his and pressing her body against her desk before picking and sitting her on it, her legs locked around his waist. At first Aaron was going to question what made her lunge like that. 

But then again, he knew better than to question her judgement. 

After the brief fool around they had, Aaron readjusted his jacket and fixed his hair, looking over to her, he cleared his throat and asked “Alright. I’ll bite. Not literal like you just did of course but”

Hayes looked to him as she remained leaning against the desk “Paul gave me a copy of the interview you did in exchange for him deleting that video of my little outburst” 

Aaron slowly nodded and looked down to the floor for a moment “Hm. He did” with a small smile, he looked up to her and said with a more cheeky grin “And it touched you”

Hayes gently bit her lip with a smirk “It did” 

“Wow. You actually just admitted that”

“Shut up, Aaron” Hayes stood up straight and walked over to him “I actually do tend to admit to you when you’ve...made me feel something” now with her body intensely close to him, she muttered as she began to get more flustered again “And you made me feel”

Aaron shrugged “I was just being honest”

“That’s what makes it so much more meaningful” she softly smiled to him. Aaron pushed a strand of her behind her ear and then suggested as he dropped it back in his pocket “Why don’t you come to this party with me?”

Hayes laughed and moved away from him and mocked “As what? Your date?”

“Maybe” he shrugged.

Hayes stared at him, with her smile slowly settling down, she sighed and shook her head “Come on, Aaron. We can’t”

“I’m not asking to start dating again I just-”

“No...because if we got to things like that together like we used to then I’m going to end up wanting to…” she took a breath to stop herself and shook her head again “And I need to focus on this job right now” 

Aaron gave her a defeated smile and held his hands up “You’re the boss. And you’re right, your work is important” He gave her one more smile to the turn and leave. Hayes gripped onto his sleeve, she gazed at him for a moment before saying “Just so you know...I’d be lost without you in my life too” 

It was rare for her to say something like that to him, so he doesn’t take it for granted. His smile to her was almost heartbreaking from seeing how much those words meant to him because it makes up for the times that she had pushed him away, it makes him see that she does want him to be beside her no matter what she does or says. Aaron said nothing, he just leaned forward and kissed her forehead before turning back around and leaving. 

* * *

Hayes was really driven into her next case, she would go distant for a few days when she did. Which he didn’t take personally, he was actually kind of pleased that she was so committed into all of it. 

On the third night of her investigation. Aaron was in a bar. Clubs weren’t really his scene, well they used to be when he and Hayes were dating but he was always more of an enjoying a beer in a quiet bar kind of guy. It was the bar he’d been going to with his family ever since he was a kid. Then when his folks died he still liked going, the owners were great to him and he was never bothered because all of the regulars that went he’s known for years. 

So he wasn’t expecting being joined, but he was. Hayes sat herself down next to him and ordered a glass of whiskey, at first she made him jump. Then he laughed “Hayes. Hey didn’t think I’d see you till this case was over”

“Sorry. I know I’ve been aloof” Hayes sighed, taking the whiskey in her hand. 

Aaron shrugged and said before taking a swig of his beer “Nah it’s cool, means you’re hard at work” he drank his beer and then looked to her again “So what brings you to my turf?”

Hayes giggled “Your turf...I knew I’d find you here. Just need a friend”

“Something wrong?” 

Hayes rubbed her lips together and looked down to her glass, she cleared her throat and sighed “Wallace. He’s going to take the fall for me getting hold of something I shouldn’t have a few years back…”

“What does he get out of it?”

“Nothing this time” Hayes shook her head “He’s doing this for me. But I can’t let him” 

Aaron’s brows pinched together, he shrugged to her “Why not?” 

She then turned her head to Aaron, looking at him oddly as if the answer was pretty much clear and plain “I can’t let him take the fall”

“He wanted to take the blame, let him”

“Aaron. If this was anyone else you’d be encouraging me to do the right thing and come forward, stop being biased” 

Aaron took a breath, he looked back to his bottle and shrugged as he shook his head “Sorry. I just know that if you come forward you could be fired” 

“You know the ins and outs of this kind of thing do you?”

“You’re forgetting my dad was a lawyer” Aaron said, looking back to her. Then she felt guilty which wasn’t his intention at all, he wasn’t bringing his dad up to make her feel bad. Sometimes an example of him is just an example “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad I’m just saying” 

“I know” Hayes muttered, putting her hand on his and rubbed it for a brief moment before returning it to her glass “I know. I also know that I was handed this job when he worked for it, protect me all you want but you know that’s true” 

She raised her brows to him as she watched him open his mouth in attempts to try and fight against her, she then let out an amused smile as he groaned and let out a defeated smirk, hearing her laugh at him and say “Don’t worry about me. I’ll figure something out. Speaking of worrying should I be worried I may have to...as the tabloids say  _ fight off your new girl _ ?”

“What?” Aaron asked with a confused laugh. Hayes got out her phone and pushed it towards him with the article on her phone. A picture of Aaron whispering in an extra’s ear. He rolled his eyes and shook his head “Fight off the girl who I was whispering and I quote ‘do you know where the bathroom is’ not exactly” 

“Big question is” Hayes held her finger up to him, taking a dramatic pause, she then asked “Did you find the bathroom?”

Aaron laughed and pushed the phone back to her “Shut up. But yes I did” 

“There is a god” she teased. 

“Don’t joke you know I’m a good catholic boy” Aaron dryly joked back as he paid the barman. Then hearing Hayes fire back with “We’re going to hell with the sins we’ve committed. And where we’ve committed them”

Aaron laughed as he grabbed a fresh bottle. Then hearing Hayes groan and put her head in her hands “God I’m getting strained with this job”

“But you love it”

“Yeah I guess”

“If you’re looking for a break. I’m going on a trip, a week on friday. Taking my boat out”

“The boat? You mean the boat you built years ago I never thought you’d get the chance to take that out” 

“I hardly ever do. But with this movie done I’m taking a break, maybe you should too” 

Hayes looked to him and laughed “Yeah. Cause it’s that easy”

“You can find someone to fill your shoes for a weekend, just give it some thought” 

Hayes stared at him and was very much tempted to take up his offer right there. But she did have to give it some thought. She smiled to him and nodded, promising she will and returned to her drink. 

* * *

Another case was under her wing. She successfully helped close another case. Hayes also felt partly humiliated that she had defended Wallace to Aaron, now that she found out there was in fact something in it for him. There has always been something in it for him, when they first met and he tried to pursue her it was all for getting deals from her parents. She was insanely done with him. 

Until now. Not that she wanted to get involved with him again, he was just weighing in on this next case because the victim was an old buddy of his. And sure, she was sympathetic, she was still human, she had empathy for these things. Even for people on death row, a punishment she was absolutely against for reasons such as this. Her new case is on death row but may be innocent. This is why she found it immoral. 

Aaron whistled himself down the street, with a bag filled with her favourite chinese food, he had to stop every so often to take pictures with fans and sign autographs, he took the long way round so no one could clock on that he was going to visit Hayes at her place. To his surprise though, when he walked in and was informed that Hayes had packed her bags and left. He was a little worried, just as he thought of trying to figure everything out. Hayes called. 

“Hey I just come to your building and they said you packed your bags what’s-”

_ “I’m heading to Indiana”  _

Aaron turned around with his a very much confused expression on his face “Indiana? Of all the places-”

_ “It’s a work thing. It’s where my new case is being held. He’s on death row”  _

“Oh. Rough. Still, sucks that you’re in Indiana by yourself”

There was then a long pause. Which was never a good sign. He heard her take a deep breath and then muttered  _ “I’m not alone...I’ve...gone with Wallace”  _

It was then Aaron who remained silent, he tried to bite his lip. He just cleared his throat and said in an unintentionally blunt way “Right. Where you guys staying?”

_ “A motel” _

“Same room?”

_ “No...connecting room but it’s just work”  _

“Uh-huh. So was Chicago right?” 

_ “Don’t be like that”  _

“I’m not being like anything. It’s fine, not your boyfriend and all”

_ “Aaron”  _ Hayes sighed to him. 

“No” Aaron laughed “Seriously it’s fine just um...do what you do best. Your job” 

_ “We’re okay?”  _

“We’re always okay. I’ll see you when you get back” he took the phone away from his ear and hung up. Then pressing the phone against his chin, harder than initially intended. The thought of them two  _ practically  _ sharing a room together. He knows that technically he shouldn’t be all high and mighty about it. But he loved her, so of course he was going to be jealous. He hated that he was jealous of Conner Wallace. But he was. 

* * *

Over the course of a few days, two to be exact. Aaron found himself packing his bags. He got a call from Hayes last night, she sounded down. Bummed out about this whole case and she said how she felt even more alone because she could just come and speak to him, so he was doing her. Or better yet probably even him a favour and flying to Indiana to go and see her. He had over two months before his next movie takes place and maybe he was a little bored. Bored without Hayes nagging down his ear. 

He got there, found the motel she was staying at and called her as he walked out of his cab, with an excited small smile lingering on his face “Hey. How’s it going?” 

_ “Is there a better word than terrible?” _

“No I’d say terrible was okay” Aaron said as he put his rucksack over his shoulder, he got her room number from the receptionist, mouthing a charming plea to her as he remained on the phone, he walked up the stairs and carried on talking to her “You still feeling shitty?”

_ “Well, yeah”  _ she gently laughed, feeling sorry for herself  _ “I could really use you right now”  _

“Yeah?” Aaron knocked on her door, then hearing her sigh through both the phone and on the other side of the door “Yeah” 

She opened the door and took a moment to focus on him in front of her, she smiled and shook her head “I have to call you back” she hung up the phone and took her hand down from her ear. 

Letting out a confused laugh as he stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms “What the hell are you doing here?” Aaron grumbled a laugh as he picked her up and closed the door behind them. He kissed her neck and said “Well. I had some time on my hands and I’d rather have them on you”

“Very smooth and cliche” Hayes laughed as she rested her chin on the top of his head for a moment, she looked down to him and said “I appreciate the gesture” 

“Anytime” Aaron dropped her down and smiled to her, Hayes then cocked on eyebrow and said, taking his lips to hers and holding her close, to the pull away as Hayes hummed and breaking the kiss to say “So it had nothing to do with being here so Wallace doesn’t try anything?”

“You act as if I think you’re my property. Ouch, Ace” Aaron said as he dropped his bag on the bed. Then feeling Haye’s hands run from his back to his stomach, wrapping her arms around him from the back and resting her chin on his back, then saying in a tuneful tone “Sorry”

He huffed a laugh and patted her hands “I’ll forgive you. Only cause I dragged my ass here and the motel is booked up” he dryly joked, standing up straight, he turned and looked to her “Nice silk pyjamas by the way” 

“Don’t make fun” she swatted his arm. Aaron looked to the files on the bed, with an amused look on his face he teased “Am I sleeping on the floor now that the files have called shotgun?”

“I’m just running through things” Hayes said as she ran her fingers through her hair and climbed in bed, Aaron looked over his shoulder and said “Looks like your mom is gonna take the senate” 

“Yeah well. At least she can’t blame me for this” she looked up to him before nodded her head to the side “Get changed and get in bed” 

Aaron changed from his clothes to his sweatpants and to no surprise went topless. Hayes smirked as he walked over and climbed into bed, putting her hand on his stomach for a moment and saying “Exactly what I needed” 

Aaron grumbled a laugh “Sometimes I think you just use me for my body” 

“You would be right” she teased, keeping her eyes on her files. Aaron put his hand on her thigh as he looked to the files and said “So it’s really not looking good?”

“I don’t know” Hayes shook her head “I really don’t. Evidence is piled up and the fact that he will die if we don’t figure out the truth just adds to the pressure”

“There’s still a chance he’s guilty though, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah there is but...if you had met him. You’d have seen what I’ve seen”

“And what was that?”

Hayes shrugged “Innocence” she looked to him and tugged a smile “I’m glad you came, by the way” 

“Just being the good  _ non boyfriend _ ” Aaron said as he sunk in the bed and under the duvet. Hayes raised her brows to him for a brief moment and joked along with him “You are” she leaned down and kissed him, something she rarely initiate, not like this anyway, not like this anyway. But he was glad that she did. Aaron reached over and grabbed the remote “May I?”

“You may” Hayes shrugged, looking down at her files. Aaron flicked through some channels and then came up to one “Oh look who it is!” he laughed. Hayes looked up and saw Aaron on the screen, it was one of his first debut films. Typically he played a highschooler even though he was twenty two at the time but he has one of those faces. 

“Ah yes. The classic cliche chick flick film that made you the man who are today”

“This isn’t any film” Aaron looked up to her. Hayes shrugged and nodded, looking down to the files “I know, it’s the film we met. Well the premiere of it was when we met”

“Look at you” he teased “You’re sentimental after all” 

“No I just have a good memory” 

“Sentimental” Aaron mumbled in a tune as he put the remote against his chin. Then to get a slap against his forehead. Hayes glanced to the screen “Are you seriously going to watch yourself?” 

“Deja vu” Aaron laughed. 

“I knew we never should have made that tape” Hayes muttered with a laugh under her breath. Lucky it just didn’t get leaked. Aaron changed the channel, landing on some old reruns of Friends. This was more than good enough. Reruns of his favourite show whilst lay in bed next to the woman he’s always wanted, putting the situation she’s in to the side. It was kind of nice, and she felt it too.

Hayes stayed up for another hour, Aaron now fast asleep. His face smushed against the pillow as he lay on his stomach, his arm ending up draped across her lap, which she didn’t mind. She even found herself stroking it as she read through her files. Doing it for a lot longer than she realised. Suddenly she got a call, from Sam. She quickly answered it, he told her that they had gotten Earl a reprieve, meaning more time. Hayes gently moved Aaron’s arm from over her lap in attempts to not wake him which she did successfully and ran over to the door that connects her room to Conner’s. She knocked on and called to him. With him now on the other side of the door, she told him everything, feeling a little excited and proud of herself “We did it. You and me. We’re awesome”

She heard him laugh on the other side and say “Yes we are”

Hayes took a breath and innocently asked him about Naomi. She just needed to know what was going on, call it research. Conner may be a dick at times but underneath he was still a friend and so was Naomi, she took an interest in where things were heading. And Naomi was heading to live in New York “It adds pressure” Conner confessed to her. 

“She’s absurdly hot. Smart. She’s a much better person to go after than me” she lightly laughed “You should just give it a shot”

After a small silence, Conner asked her “Does it freak you out? The idea of committing to someone, settling down. I know it used to but what about now?” 

Hayes took a moment and thought about his question, she then looked over to the bed and watched Aaron be sound asleep. And she found herself smiling. Blushing even, she looked down to the floor and shrugged “Depends on the person I guess” she looked back over to him and had the dying urge to now just be wrapped up with him. 

“Hayes?”

“See you in the morning, Wallace” Hayes said, pushing herself up from against the wall and slowly walking over to the bed. Hayes quietly and carefully took hold of the remaining files on the bed and lay them down on the floor, she climbed into bed and put his arm back over her, running her fingers gently through the side of his hair and nuzzling her face to his. Just with one thing in her mind. 

She was getting in way too deep. 


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Hayes felt a nudge on the other side of her body, she opened her eyes and looked to Conner, who nodded to Aaron as he took his hand off of her hip “When did he get here? And why?”

Hayes took in a breath as she woke herself up and glanced to Aaron beside her “Last night. Moral support”

He tried his best not to look jealous and just got down to business. Keeping his voice still in a quiet tone as she did the same, clearly he was not to be woken up “Bill Newton appealed to stay”

“He is such a douche” Hayes sighed in a whisper. 

“Any other prosecutor would have done the same thing...the supreme court just ruled” 

Hayes sat up “No  _ please _ ”

“They lifted his day of execution”

“We don’t know if he’s guilty we need more time”

“We don’t have anymore” Conner shrugged “Earl’s going to be executed. Tonight”

Hayes stared at him for a moment and shook her head. She wasn’t going to let it go down like this “Give me fifteen minutes. Wait for me outside. We’re going back to the prison” Hayes climbed out of bed, making Conner stand up. He did as he was asked and exited the room. 

Hayes went to her suitcase, had a quick wash and quickly got into her change of clothes. Aaron slowly woke up to see Hayes putting her shoes on at the bottom of the bed “Leaving? God I feel so dirty. And we didn’t even have sex”

Hayes let out a breathless laugh as she kept her eyes down on her heel, finally fitting it on She stood up “Something’s happened. I have to go to the prison and try to negotiate” 

“One of your many skills” 

“Thanks for that vote of confidence” Hayes put on her jacket and looked to him “I’m not sure how long I’ll be”

“Hayes I’m not a dog in a car, you can leave me for more than two hours. Go on I’ll find something to do with myself” 

Hayes nodded to him and whispered as she opened the door “Okay bye” 

When she was gone, the thing he found to do with himself was something he found very satisfying. Sleep. 

* * *

After another long nap. Two and a half hour one to be exact. He got up and decided to go for a run. Clear his head a little with his calming playlist on. He went on for what felt like a good hour run. Then stopped off at a small cafe to grab a bottle of water and a bagel, getting one for Hayes too because you never know. It was another half an hour jog back to the motel. 

He got back, put everything on the side table and then went in the bathroom for a shower, fifteen minutes later. He walked out and as he did. Hayes walked in. She did not look happy, not one bit. Which wasn’t exactly a good sign “No good news?”

Hayes just remained silent but shot him a glance that gave him an answer. Aaron tightened the towel around his waist and rubbed her back as he past her to grab a fresh pair of underwear “I’m sorry. I know how badly you wanted this guy to be innocent-”

“You know what the sickening part is” she finally blubbered out, catching Aaron’s full attention, he looked up to her. Hayes shook her head and shrugged “I really believe that he is. This is wrong, Aaron all of it is wrong” 

“If you still think it’s wrong then don’t give up”

“He’s be executed in a matter of hours” Hayes ran her fingers through her hair. Aaron shrugged as he put his underwear on and dropped his towel, he grabbed her tablet that was on the bed “So” he held it out to her “Get to work and try your best, which will be enough to figure out the truth”

Hayes stared at him, with her hands on her hips “You think?”

“I know. You’re smarter than you give yourself credit” 

Hayes stood still for a moment but then took his advice up and grabbed the tablet. She began to run through everything, Aaron remained silent. He just let her get on with it, sat on the table at the side and spent his time on his phone, looking at her every so often to make sure that she is in fact still pacing up and down the room. 

His phone suddenly buzzed, he looked down to see that he had a text from his agent    
_ ‘Late slot for an interview with Stephen Colbert. You in?’ _

Aaron looked to Hayes. If he left now he could make it...but there was no way he was going to do that, not to her. A Stephen Colbert interview would be great, but there would also be more where this came from. 

_ ‘Sorry. I’m taking a hiatus from all of this till I start the next movie. Away on personal business’  _

“Oh my god” he heard her say, Aaron looked up at her “What? You found something”

“He didn’t do it” Hayes blurted out, rushing to her phone. Impatiently waiting as it rang, she lay down on the bed with the tablet still in her hands. Talking insanely fast down the phone to Tess and Frankie, Aaron tried to keep up. But all this legal stuff went over his head, it sure did when his dad used to talk about it to his mom. 

“Find Nina. Earl’s co-worker. The one that had the memo” Hayes then sprung up from the bed and began to pace up and down again. She was soon in contact with Earl’s co-worker Nina and got all the information she needed. Straight after, she hung up “I gotta go” 

“I’ll drive you” Aaron said, standing up and grabbing the car keys. 

“You don’t have-”

“I know I  _ don’t have _ -but I’m not gonna have you rambling down your phone whilst driving okay? Let me be useful” he said as he past her and walked ahead of her to the car. 

He didn’t mess around, he drove just as fast as she did down the road whilst Hayes kept ringing and leaving a message and ringing and leaving a message to Conner. He wasn’t going to pick up, he was already in the witnessing room for Earl’s execution. 

Hayes hung up for the fourteenth time and let out a small muffled scream under her breath “I’m not going to save him!”

“You don’t know what time they’re doing it, just keep trying I’m going as fast as possible” 

She appreciated his attempt of reassurance but not even he could make her feel better about this. He hit the brakes outside the prison “Go!” 

Hayes quickly got out of the car and raced into the prison, still ringing Conner. All Aaron could do was wait, he didn’t even move his hands away from the steering wheel to flick the radio on, he was so damn nervous and he wasn’t even in this legal situation, he was nervous for her and knowing that this guy was innocent. He was also nervous for him even if he hadn’t met him. 

It felt like he was stuck in the same position forever, when in reality it was only fifteen minutes. Aaron had his chin planted on top of the wheel, look straight ahead when he then heard the car door open beside him, he looked to the side of him and saw Hayes just sit beside him, er expression was totally blank, with tears running down her face. That sure as hell wasn’t a good sign. Aaron leaned back and just looked to her “Hayes-”

“Just drive” Hayes whispered, closing her eyes. Aaron stared at her for a minute, then did as she asked. He’d wait to talk to her when they got back, he started up the car and reversed back, seeing Conner walk out and glancing to him as he walked up to the car, also with a glum look on is face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Earl was executed. Hayes didn’t get to him in time. And he knew that she would be blaming herself right now. 

It was a painfully quiet, he just did as she asked and drove. He asked no questions, he didn’t say anything to her. He just held her hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. But she didn’t even react to it, she just kept her eyes fixed on out of her window. Till they pulled up outside the motel, Hayes took her hand out of Aaron’s and got out the car, still saying nothing. Aaron sat there for a moment and watched her. Aaron then got out of the car and followed her to the room. 

He put his hands in his jean pockets, her back was to him and it was then where he finally spoke “Hayes…talk to me. Please” 

With her back still to him. She took a moment and finally managed to mutter out “I knew I couldn’t do this job...I told you that when it all started I just...I knew” 

“Hey, don’t do that” Aaron whispered, quickly walking up behind her and resting his hands on her arms, she took a small step back and leaned to his body. Feeling him rub her arms to try and comfort her as much as possible “You’re amazing at this job okay? You did everything you could”

“Wasn’t enough” Hayes cried, shaking her head “I gave him hope. He begged me to find the truth and I found it when it was all too late. Earl was innocent. We put the guy responsible away but it wasn’t enough...he died anyway” 

“I’m so sorry. But listen. I know he died, it’s awful. But finding the man responsible still got justice for Earl, his name is cleared. He can be remembered as a good man” 

“I couldn’t save him”

“Not everyone can get saved, Hayes, it’s life. It’s messy and complicated but we have to carry on with it, you have to keep trying. Trying to save the next one, and the one after that” 

Hayes bowed her head down as his words sunk in, her lip wobbled again as she said to him “He asked me what I think about heaven...and I…” she hitched her breath and lifted her head “What do I know?”

Aaron sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, he carried on rubbing her arms and whispered “I believe in it enough for the both of us...it’s okay, Hayes”

Hayes turned to him, streams of tears down her cheeks. Letting out an  _ exhausted  _ sob and sunk herself into his arms. Burying her face in his neck and letting out more cries as he held onto her tight, cradling her head with one hand whilst his other remaining firmly gripped onto her waist. He felt himself building up emotion, he hadn’t had her in his arms like this in a  _ long  _ time. His hand dropped from the back of her head to her shoulder and whispered to her  “Please Hayes” 

Hayes pulled her head back and pressed her forehead against his for a moment before looking at him, Aaron put his hand on her cheek and softly wiped away her tears. Shaking his head and whispered “It’s the worst thing in the world for me. This right here” 

Hayes just closed her eyes and put her hand on the back of his head as she took a breath, Aaron kept his eyes on her and then slowly took his lips to hers. Finally pressing their lips together, Hayes was still crying as she kissed him but she didn’t want to stop, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him even closer. Letting out a shaky breath as their lips briefly parted, her brows pinched together as more tears streamed down her face as she resumed kissing him. 

Aaron cupped her cheeks, slowly bringing their lips apart after a long, tender moment. Hayes’s breaths grew heavier as she blurted out in a whisper “I love you” 

Aaron stared at her for a moment, as she once again buried her face in his neck. Aaron’s brows pinched together as he gripped onto her again, he rested his chin on her shoulder and just let that sink in. She was emotional, extremely. He wasn’t naive to ignore that could be the reason. But he just let it be. Aaron rubbed her back and squeezed his arms around her a little tighter for a moment before pulling back and wiping more of her tears “Let’s get you to bed” 

Hayes nodded, taking a gulp to settle herself down, she took a deep breath and weakly mumbled “Is that weekend away still on offer?”

Aaron let out a tearful smile and nodded “I’ll take you anywhere you ask” he kissed her forehead and slowly took off her coat. Folding it over his arm, he nodded over to the case “Right now, go get in your pajamas. Best thing for you right now is to sleep. Been a long day”

That was the thing that made the most sense out of this whole night right now. Hayes walked over to the case and got herself changed as Aaron hung her coat up for her. He was already in his sweats when he drove her so he wasn’t in any rush to change. He stuck his hands in his pockets and saw that even though she was getting on with it, she still had tears running down her cheeks. She got into bed without looking at him, lay in a fetus position, hugging on tight to the duvet. Aaron walked over and a small frown on his face and got on the bed, on top of the covers, Hayes turned as he did so and rested her forehead against his chest and her hand on his stomach. Picking the bits of fluff that were on his vest as she sniffled up her tears and let out a deep breath. 

Aaron stayed still and carried on stroking her hair, brushing his lips against her forehead. With them still close to it, he whispered “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Don’t ever doubt yourself” he gently kissed her forehead. She said nothing, she just took another deep breath and sunk further down into the mattress. 

Eventually she drifted off to sleep. Aaron still stayed close to her, still cradling her. When there was a lightly knock on the door. From Conner’s side. Aaron looked down to Hayes and slowly moved away from her body, settling her down off from leaning against him and onto the pillow. Aaron scratched the back off his head as he walked over and then opened the door. Conner couldn’t decide whether he was expecting him to answer or not, but he wasn’t exactly surprise. Conner looked over Aaron’s shoulder for a brief moment and then asked as he took his eyes back to him “She alright?” 

“No. She was sobbing for a good while. I mean she’s alright now obviously, drifted off bout ten minutes ago” 

Conner sighed, then heard Aaron say “You alright?” 

“You care?”

Aaron shrugged “The decent thing to ask. You both were on this case together. You alright?” 

Conner appreciated it, he did. He shrugged and nodded “I’m fine. Disappointed of course but...I’m alright. She took it bad” 

“She’s not come close to something like this before, you know that as well as I do” Aaron said, looking over his shoulder to her, watching her sleep. He let out a breath through his nose and said as he turned back to Conner “She needs a break” 

“A break?”

“Nothing too long I...I asked her couple of days ago if she’d come for a weekend away with me on my boat. Just for her to get some space. I think you can agree she’ll need it now more than ever. Just a weekend, Wallace, come on” 

Conner looked to her once more and then gave in. He shrugged and nodded “Yeah. Okay”

“Preciate it. I know Hayes will too so thanks” 

“Least I can do for her. Shouldn’t have got her involved in this” 

“Don’t you start blaming yourself, I’ve already had one pep talk session” Aaron dryly joked in a sigh as he leaned against the door frame, giving Conner a small smile as Conner let out an amused huff. Aaron rubbed his lips and then held his hand out to him “Thanks. For y’know. Letting her get some space”

Conner looked down at his hand, last time he shook that thing, Aaron almost broke his hand. But it was a different situation. Conner slapped his hand in Aaron’s hand and nodded to him as he shook it “Sure...thanks for taking care of her”

“Someone’s got to” Aaron whispered, raising his brows and dropping his hand “No matter what act she puts on to say otherwise” Aaron put his hand on the door and strummed his fingers down it “Get some rest, Wallace”

Conner nodded to him and went to turn. Aaron closed the door and looked back to Hayes. Looking peaceful at last. He could watch her for hours, even if he didn’t get any sleep himself, he’d be just fine with that. 

* * *

The next morning when Hayes woke up. Aaron was already dressed. Looking down at is phone. Hayes sat herself up, rubbing her eyes and then running her fingers through her hair “Hi…”

Aaron looked up and softly smiled as he slipped his phone in his jeans “Hey, ace. How’re you feeling?”

“Well. I’ve only been awake for about five seconds but so far I’m good” she gave him a weak and tired smile. She then pulled a self cringed expression and looked to him “I was a real mess last night wasn’t I?”

“You were being compassionate for someone’s death. Hardly call that a mess” 

“You’re just being nice”

“I’m being honest” he said, falling his hands onto the bed and looked to her “As usual”

“We can’t all be saints” Hayes mumbled. Then she suddenly remembered what she had said to him last night, she had told him that she loved him. She actually said the words  _ ‘I love you’  _ to him last night in the middle of her break down.  _ Shit _ . Hayes put her hand against her forehead and looked back to him “Listen...about what I said about me...you know”

“Being in love with me?”

“Yeah I-”

“You were emotional. Upset” Aaron said as he stood up “I was here to comfort you and it was a moment thing” he shrugged and tilted his head to her “Right?”

He was trying to make things easy for her, he knew how hard it was for her to come to terms with her feelings, if her feelings were real and it wasn’t a heat in the moment thing, which he is open minded could have been the reason. Hayes stared at him for a moment. Rather surprised, she knew that those three words were all that he ever longed to hear. Hayes shook her head for a moment and shrugged “R-Right...yeah of course...I’m...glad you understand” 

“Course I do” Aaron smiled. When he turned his back to her, their expression both dropped to being disappointed and  _ upset _ . He took in a deep breath as he carried on packing his bags. He rubbed his lips together and said as he zipped it up “You still uh...you still up for this boat trip though? Last night you said-”

“Yeah. I’d like that. Need it. I better talk to Wallace”

“I already did last night when you were asleep. He came to check up on you and I asked if it was okay. He said it was”

Hayes raised her brows to him as she got out of bed “Really?”

“Yeah. He agreed that you were entitled to a break”

“Gracious of him” She muttered under her breath, taking her shirt off as she walked over to the bathroom for a shower. Aaron stared at the door for a moment, and when he looked away was when it opened it again and she popped her head out “You coming?”

He looked back to her and let out an amused breathless smile, then taking his shirt off as he walked over into the bathroom. 

After they  _ cleaned  _ themselves. They got dressed, checked that they had everything and checked out of the motel, when they did, going towards Hayes car that she rented for these past few days, to take them to the airport. Conner came down from his room, already checked out. He had his own car, which Aaron was thankful cause he couldn’t deal with anymore awkward tension. 

Conner spun the key round his finger and slipped it in his pocket as he kept his hands in there and walked over to them “You okay?”

“Yeah. Fine” Hayes sighed, shrugging “Is what it is right. Got the real bad guy in the end”

“Right” Conner nodded, glancing to Aaron and then saying “I hope you um...find these days off beneficial. You need a bit of a break after this”

“I do, thanks for being okay with it” in a way she was thanking him for more than one thing, because she knew that Conner saw her as some kind of prize that he wanted to win and for Aaron to lose. He easily could have said no, after all he is her boss. But him saying yes not only meant that he was trying to cut her a break, it meant that he finally accepted what was right in front of him. Hayes can’t stay away from Aaron, she never could and she will probably never will. Despite the car crash things that have happened in the past. They were inevitable. That was something that all three of them could secretly agree on. Conner strummed his fingers on the top of her car and gave it a brief tap before dropping it down “See you guys later” 

“Have a safe flight, Wallace” Aaron called to him, Hayes turned to him and said “And what flight will we be getting”

He smirked and shrugged “What? Do you think I swam here?”

“You flew in on your jet”

“No don’t be ridiculous” he said as he walked over to the passenger side of the car, he looked to her and said with a grin “My pilot flew in on my jet”

“And where has he been for the past two days?” Hayes asked as they both got in the car, she looked to him before putting the keys in the ignition. He paused and shrugged “Sure he found somewhere. I called him earlier and he’s alive so” 

Hayes rolled her eyes and turned on the engine “You’re unbelievable”

“I like to think so” 

* * *

Word got out back in New York that Aaron Smith was see flying out of town around the same time that Hayes Morrison was and the gossip magazines began to put two and two together which meant there was a stakeout out at the hangar where Aaron keeps his jet. Reporters had passes for these type of things, they also knew where to avoid security if those passes didn’t work. 

As soon as Hayes and Aaron walked out of the hangar and towards Aaron’s car. There was an ambush of flashing lights in their faces, with paparazzi shouting all sorts. 

“Aaron! Hayes! Where have you guys been?”

“Has this been a romantic getaway?”

“Are you two officially back together?”

Aaron put his hand on Hayes back to keep her close when walking past them, because the odd times. Paparazzi could get grabby to get them to stop for their picture. They both knew how to handle these kind of things, say nothing and keep their head down. Though Hayes sometimes has trouble keeping her mouth shut. In this case she didn’t. She was fairly emotionally drained. Aaron opened the car door for her and shut it once she got in, still not looking at any of the cameras. He got in his side of the car and started the engine up, slowly moving the car forward to prevent himself from hitting one of the paps.  _ Again _ . 

One they were away from them, Hayes let out a breath “Jesus they are literally like damn vultures”

“Tell me bout it”

Hayes looked to the back of the car, seeing them all gathered around comparing shots, she then looked to him “You do know that this whole going away for a few days will add?”

“Look. It’s none of their business. We know what we are...if you think it’s gonna be a bad idea then we can-”

“No...no I want to go” Hayes gave him a tight smile “I was actually thinking about you more than me, I can avoid these things by being wrapped up in the CIU building, but right now you have time off. Which means they’ll be following you as you roam around the city”

“I’ll survive. If having a few guys flash a camera in my face is my consequence from having you back in my life then it’s worth it” he shrugged “It means nothing to me” 

The corner on Hayes lips tugged to a small smile as she bowed her head and then looked out the window, trying to control the butterflies that were going off in her stomach.

* * *

**Hope everyone has a merry christmas!**


	11. Chapter 11

Hayes yawned as she walked out of her bedroom to see Aaron sat at her breakfast bar, eating a bowl of cereal. It was midnight and he was there eating cereal. She didn’t know what to say, she thought he’d be gone by now. She just walked past him to the fridge. He looked at her and grumbled with his mouth still full “Hey” 

“Hi...thought you’d leave eventually” she muttered as she opened the fridge and took out some yogurt. As soon as they got back, Aaron walked her into the apartment and she went straight into her room. She thought he’d give up and leave but evidently not. Aaron stared at her, suddenly a small smile grew on his face “You alright?”

Hayes looked up and shrugged, looking back down to the bowl “Fine. I should never have took time off” she was due to be back in work in the morning. 

“You should never have come with me for a few days on my boat you mean”

Hayes looked back to him. She rubbed her lips together and sighed as she put the box of granola to the side and laid her hands down flat “I never said that”

“You didn’t have to. Written all over your face” 

“Aaron-”

“I don’t see what is so wrong?” Aaron shook his head “The past weeks have been good. Are you trying to say you’ve not liked me being around”

“No I have-”

“But you’re scared”

“No”

“Yes” Aaron said, standing up from the stool and slowly walking round to her “You told me that you loved me. Both in Indiana  _ and  _ on the boat”

Hayes shook her head but stood very still as he got closer “I was emotional” 

“And I get that. Most of the time you say you love someone it’s being emotional” 

She let him cup her cheeks and stroke them with his thumb. Hayes took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment as she felt his forehead touch hers. The second time she said she loved him was when the sun was setting on the boat they had been spending their time on for the past few days. It was exactly what she needed, it was only a few hours ago that this happened. The sun was setting, the two of them were close together, with some wine and a blanket covering their legs, she looked at him. Gazed at him for a fair few seconds and just came out with it.

Of course as soon as she did she pulled away and acted like she said nothing of the sort, then when he tried to talk about it she just got annoyed. 

Hayes put her hand on his chest and lightly pushed him “I can’t”

Aaron sighed and took a step back, he stared at her and then nodded as he looked away. Clearing his throat, he shrugged and nodded once again “Alright. Your choice. But I can’t do this anymore”

Hayes then looked to him, suddenly feeling kind of fearful of what he was implying “What do you-”

“Hayes...I can’t do this anymore. The whole being together without actually being together. We’re acting as if we’re in a relationship, the things we do. But you’ve made it clear that we’re not. And I can’t carry on with it, not when I’m just falling even harder for you every day. Took me six years to even get close to get over you. Maybe I should start the next six years now” 

Aaron touched her hand for a brief moment and gave her a tight smile “Goodbye then, Hayes”

She gripped onto his sleeve for a moment, hardly even know she was doing it. Hayes watched him grab his jacket and then go to walk away. Suddenly she had her mind and heart battle together against what she should do. He was getting closer and closer to the elevator. Suddenly she stepped forward “Aaron wait”

Aaron took his hand down from the button and looked to her. Hayes had her hands clutched together and to her chest, she rubbed her lips together and shook her head “Don’t start those six years” 

Aaron stared at her for a moment. Not know if she truly meant it or not. But he could never leave her, not when she asks him not to. Aaron slowly walked over to her, her hands holding together against her chest, he kept his eyes fixed on hers. Her hands slowly moved from each other to his chest as he cupped her cheeks, after a look in her eyes for a few seconds more, Aaron took his lips to hers. Wiping away the stray tear that ran down her cheek. She was emotional. But not an emotional wreck this time. He could tell the difference. 

Hayes gripped onto his shirt with one hand as other ran through the back of his head before gripping onto it. She slowly pushed him to the wall. As his back pressed against it. Hayes gripped onto the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. She ran her fingers down his beautifully crafted body, her nails gently scraping it as they went over his chiseled stomach. Hayes kissed his chest, trailing her lips to his stomach with her tongue peeking through and skimming down his stomach.

When she returned her lips to him. Aaron wrapped his arms around her waist and bent his knees for a moment as he picked her up. Hayes let out a breath as she kept her head to his, stroking his hair as he carried her into the bedroom. He gently placed her down on the bed and climbed on top of her. Giving her light, long kisses. He slowly unbutton her blouse, stopping when her chest was visible to press his lips against it. Hayes arched her head back, continuing to have her fingers in his hair. Feeling him unbutton more and kiss her more on the various parts of her body.

Aaron took his hands away from the blouse which was fully unbutton and kissed her toned stomach some more. Aaron shook his head as he brought his head back to her and whispered “You're so beautiful, Hayes” he kissed her and then added “You take my fucking breath away”

Hayes smiled and pulled his lips back to hers by grabbing his face. Aaron's hand slimmed down her body and gripped to her waist. Finding the side zipper on her skirt and pulling it down. Hayes quiet moan was a clear sign that she agreed with his actions. Slowly he pulled it down, feeling her laced underwear underneath. Aaron once again left her lips and pulled down her skirt, leaning a trail of kisses up her legs and rubbing his hands over her thighs.

Hayes gently bit his bottom lip as she unbuckled the belt on his jeans, then unbuttoned and zipped down the fly. Giving them a tug before taking her hands back to his cheeks and making their kiss for deeper and  _ passionate _ .

“Take them off” Hayes pleaded with him in a whisper “All of it”

She rested her hand behind his ear and added “I want you to  _ be with me  _ again”

Aaron smiled, feeling all warm and fuzzing inside. He did as she asked and removed all layers of clothing including hers, he grabbed his bed sheet that was screwed up on one side of the bed and pulled it over them.

This time was different. It was slow and  _ loving _ . They could both tell it was different, they both felt it. It wasn't just sex for the sake of having sex.  _ That _ kind of sex is done differently. It was more powerful. It caused Hayes to grip tightly onto the mattress. With her mouth openly pressed against his and letting out breathless and overwhelmed moans. She skimmed her nose against his before turning her head to the side of feeling him kiss her neck. Hayes closed her eyes as she soaked it all in and let out another shaken breath. Her arms swooped under his with her hands resting on his shoulders. She pressed her lips against his shoulders before resting her head back down on the mattress. Looking into each other's eyes. 

Hayes took her hand down and found his, linking them together. She kissed him lightly. Then pressing her forehead against his “ _ Aaron _ …”

Aaron smirked and kissed her. Then was surprised when she pulled back and whispered in her moan “Tell me you love me”

Aaron kissed her chest as she pressed her head back onto the mattress and arched it up, repeating in a heavy whisper “Tell me”

Aaron took hold of her cheek with his free hand and made her look at him. Staring right into her eyes “I love you”

Hayes let out a breathless smile and clashed her lips back onto his.

Soon, their breaths for sharper. Their moans got heavier and louder. And eventually had to give in. Though they both wished they could have stayed in that whole moment forever.

Afterwards they fell asleep. Six hours later, she woke up with Aaron’s arm over her body. Did last night just happen? Did she say those things? What exactly did she agree to? She looked down to his hand and slipped hers in it, bringing it up and kissing it. Whatever she had agreed to, she felt ready for it. Hayes turned and faced him to see he was already away. Hayes muttered a small laugh “How long have you been awake?”

“Just about. Five minutes”

“You’ve been looking at the back of my head for five minutes” she said in a tone as if to tease him. Aaron laughed and shrugged “Back. Front. Either way you’re beautiful”

“Stop it” Hayes whispered, putting her fingertips over his lips. Aaron just smiled to her, Hayes dropped her hand and looked to the ceiling whilst he kept his eyes on her. Aaron nudged his foot against hers “You mean what you said? Last night? Not wanting me to move on”

Hayes kept her eyes on the ceiling, she thought for a moment and then just mumbled quietly “Yeah” she turned her head and gave him a soft smile “I did”

“Hayes, I mean what I said” Aaron said with a serious tone “I want…”

“I know” Hayes took a deep breath “I know”

“I’m not saying to jump into some kind of big relationship, prancing around to the world”

Hayes let out a small laugh and then heard him carry on to say “But I want to date you.  _ Again _ ” 

Hayes turned onto her side and faced him, putting her hand underneath her pillow “But how do we know that it will work this time? It didn’t work out before”

“We’re different people now” Aaron shook his head, putting his hand on her waist. He gave her a soft smile “Regardless what you think, you’ve changed. Over these past months you have changed”

“Back to the way I was before you mean? Before I totally lost it”

“And why did you totally lose it?”

“Because I lost you” she answered without hesitation. Seeing his face warm up, feeling touched. Hayes dodged looking at his eyes for a moment “Yeah well, don’t make a thing out of it”

“You know I’m gonna”

The corners of her lips tugged at her, causing her to smile again. Closing her eyes as she did so, she looked back to him “We’ll see how things go. Yeah?”

“Yeah”

“ _ No _ red carpet events. Not just yet”

Aaron took his hand out in front of her and nodded “Deal”

Hayes looked to his hand, then back to him and took hold of it, before using it to pull herself towards him and kissing him again.

* * *

Hayes felt distracted throughout the entire morning She stood at the front of the elevator in total deep thought about her and Aaron, so deeply that when the doors opened she didn’t even noticed. It took the guy behind her to point it out. 

Hayes shook it off, she walked into the boardroom.

“You’re back” Sam said, which she didn’t comment on. Tess then came over to her “Congratulations”

“On what?”

“Your mom’s election” Maxine clarified, all following her into the boardroom. 

“Thanks. She’s in DC already” Hayes said, putting her back on the counter and hearing Sam say behind her “What about you? You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Our next case. Sophie  Hausen ”

“Cause Earl Slavitt was executed” Sam said, with Frankie adding “After we proved he was innocent”

“Is there where I eyeball you all with concern and ask if you’re okay?”

Maxine shrugged at her “We didn’t meet Earl. Or spend anytime with him”

“He was a lovely man” Hayes said, as if to shrug off the situation. Then Tess say with caution of whether she should say it or not “And we didn’t have to take time off because of it” she wasn’t giving her a dig, Hayes knew that, what she meant was that Hayes must have been affected by having to take some time away.

Hayes looked to her and shook her head as she leaned herself against the counter with the file in her hand “It was nothing. I did need some space and I was offered it”

“With Aaron” Maxine asked. Also making Hayes become aware of something, she shrugged and said before Hayes had the chance to even ask “It’s all over the news. Pictures of him with you in Indiana”

“Yeah” Hayes scratched her forehead “He was just there for moral support and he took my mind off of things” in attempts to not get too mushy or even personal with them. She shook her head and planted the file on the table “Anyway. Sophie  Hausen , serving a life sentence for murdering college basketball star Travis Carter”

After the briefing, she walked into her office and got out her phone. She hardly cared about news, but it did interest her. And that you would just have to sue her for. Hayes went on one of the crappy gossip websites. 

**_PEREZ HILTON_ ** : **_Talk about Deja Vu! Presidential badgirl Hayes Morrison has been seen being comforting by old HOT flame Aaron Smith after a tragic blow in latest case. The pair are seen in photos below walking towards Smith’s car seeming very close. Will this dangerously hot couple FINALLY put us out of our misery and admit they’ve rekindled. We hope so._ **

Hayes scrolled down and looked to the pictures. God she looked miserable. Hot as always, but still miserable. One picture snapped of them showed her hold his hand, something she doesn’t even remember doing. He had her pretty close to him, out of protection.

She went onto another gossip site.

**_RADAR ONLINE: GASP. We all saw this coming. Hayes Morrison takes a break from her work at CIU for a getaway with former (and current by the look of this) boyfriend Aaron Smith._ **

Pictures that this site had were apparently ‘exclusive’ to the site of Hayes and Aaron heading to the docks where he kept his boat. The description underneath was same same as the others. Aaron is made to seem as the hero, rescuing Hayes from another downfall after the blow of her case.  _ Blah blah blah _ . Yes, Aaron helped her. But he didn’t rescue her. The only one who can save her is herself.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door. She looked up to see Conner knocking on the door, she waved him in which he smiled at. Conner shut the door behind him and tucked his hands in his suit pants “Hi. How’re you doing?”

“Fine” Hayes shrugged.

“Good break?”

Hayes rolled her eyes “It had it’s perks. But I do just want to jump back into work”

“And your next case is?”

“Sophie  Hausen case”

Conner laughed and nodded “Way to stay away from controversy”

“I couldn’t escape that even if I tried. It seems to come with my name” she said bluntly. Conner tilted his head to her “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

Conner held his hands and shrugged “Sorry. Just trying to be a friend”

Hayes sighed and just nodded, she cracked her neck and took off her coat as she walked over to her desk “Is that all you wanted? To know my case and my well being”

“Pretty much”

“Well know you now” Hayes said in a whisper as she sat herself down. She raised her brows to her “How’s Naomi?”

“She’s fine. Moves down here tomorrow. Should be... _ fun _ ”

Hayes could tell how conflicted he was feeling. She could tell that he wanted to give it a shot with Naomi. But she also could tell that he still wanted to _ rock her world _ . Which was a pointless thing to long for. Especially now. Conner snapped out of his thought and looked back to her, giving her a tight smile, he strummed his fingers on the glass door and tapped on it as he said “Give em hell”

She didn’t give him any reply, she just watched him leave and then got on with her job.

* * *

_ Aaron: Candle 79? _

_ Hayes: Ugh. I don’t know. Too fancy. _

_ Aaron: Too fancy? Damn, Ace. Okay… _

_ Hayes: Tick tock _

_ Aaron: Shut up _

_ Hayes: Then hurry up. Else I’ll end up old and grey before you find somewhere. _

_ Aaron: ABC Kitchen. Come on. We both know that’s a good place to eat and it’s unfancy. _

_ Hayes: Alright. You got me there. ABC Kitchen. _

_ Aaron: Tomorrow night? _

_ Hayes: Let’s leave it till the end of this case. Being the first one I’ve got since being back I just want to get it through. No distractions. Which is you… _

_ Aaron: Knew it ;) alright. Friday night it is. See you then, Ace. _

Hayes grinned and locked her phone, when she did, her big brother came through the door after being in DC with their mother “Hello Jackson called to her. Making her turn around and smile.

She had never been so happy to see him in her entire life. She was desperate to talk to him about things.

“You’re back!” she exclaimed, quickly making her way over to her and kissing his cheek “How’s mom?”

“Bossing people around Capitol Hill, happy as clam”

“Are you moving with her?” Hayes asked as she grabbed a wine glass to fill Jackson one up.

“No. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for now”

Hayes shot him another excited smile before turning back and watching herself pour. Then to hear him say “I heard about your client. I’m sorry”

Hayes took in a deep breath and nodded “Yeah it was…” she cleared her throat and just turned to him, handing him the glass of wine. She looked at him with caution when asking “Have you read the latest gossip?”

“That you left for a romantic getaway with Aaron on his boat...no”

Hayes laughed breathlessly and shook her head “It was not a romantic getaway...but something did happen” she looked to him after taking a long sip of her wine “I...told Aaron I love him”

Jackson’s eyes widened. Hayes then added on “ _ Again _ ”

“Again? When was the first time? Are we including years back?”

“No we’re including Indiana...told him there too. But I was sobbing, emotional wreck and he was comforting me”

Jackson nodded “Mm hm and the second time”

Hayes sighed and got her words out quickly “No sobbing. No wreck. Just a nice sunset”

“Wow”

“And last night we slept together” Hayes also informed him. Which did exactly strike  Jackson as much as he thought her next information would, in fact he shrugged “Yeah. That happens _ all the time _ ”

“It was different. It wasn’t just sex it was…”

Jackson quietly gasped and then teased “ _ Love making _ ”

Hayes cringed and shook her head as she took another sip of her wine, then revealing through ignoring his comment “He wants us to give a shot at a relationship”

“My god. How long was I gone?”

Hayes said nothing, she just gave him a nervous look and walked over to stand next to him. He watched her as she did leaned down against the bar. Jackson shrugged and admitted “I think this is great”

“What?” Hayes asked in a pitch higher voice.

“I know you may think that I don’t like Aaron, but I do. Even more so these past couple of weeks he’s been great and here for you. I think the two of you should just stop sparing, stop doing all the things couples do to then saying it’s nothing and just go for it”

Hayes sighed and rubbed her forehead “I have said yes to a date...but...I’m still not sure if we’d work. We’ve been down that road”

“It’s different. You guys are older. Plus you’ve changed”

“I haven’t”

Jackson remained silent for a moment and just stared at her, then tricked her by saying “Your client...was it hard. Losing him?”

“It was terrible” Hayes answered, without giving any hint of hesitation.

“See. Now if I would have asked you that same question three months ago before this job, you would have said something different. You wouldn’t have admitted it. You’ve changed. I think Aaron has too” he shrugged “I mean. When you guys used to do this, couple years back. He also went off with all these models and you went off with...married men. And some models yourself but now. Neither of you have done that. I think you two could be ready for this”

Hayes looked back down to her wine and said nothing. She just thought. About all of it. If Jackson was giving this the all clear. It must mean something good on the horizon. 


	12. Chapter 12

Aaron waited in the lobby of Hayes’s apartment building. Just as she instructed him to do. He walked back and forth, lightly tapping his hands together as he whistled. Becoming unintentionally impatient. He was just excited to see her, it had been a long five days.

But she was done with her first case since getting back and was ready for him to finally take her out. He wasn’t stupid. He knew that she was reserved about all of this, all he was asking for was a shot. Just to show that he had changed as well as her. And now that they were older, maybe this was _their_ time.

He’s an actor. So he see’s this as take two.

Finally she came down. Wearing a blood red dress that went to her knees. Her hair was down and wavy. She was a vision. Aaron’s jaw dropped, he then smiled and held his hands out “Look at you”

“Look at me” Hayes smirked, dryly joking. Aaron held his hand out to her and helped her down the steps, admiring her as she did so. Aaron smiled and tucked his hand in his pocket with the other linked with hers “You look stunning”

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, which sent tingles through her body. Hayes grinned breathlessly and put her hand on his chest as he did so before looking into his eyes “Thank you”

Aaron gazed at her for a moment, he then cleared his throat “Shall we?”

“We shall” Hayes nodded, still holding onto his hand as they walked out of the building. They got in Aaron’s car and drove to the restaurant. They got inside and went to their table, he requested to be in a nice secluded spot in the place that they had.

Aaron, being the gentlemen that he is, pulled the chair out for her and tucked her in before sitting down to the side of her. He was going to sit on the opposite side but she demanded that he did no such thing. Aaron looked around and leaned forward as he took the menu in his hands and whispered “Have you noticed?”

Hayes looked at him, with an eyebrow raised “What?”

“No paps. At all, from picking you up to getting here, there’s been nothing”

“Wow...maybe they’re taking a night off” Hayes raised both brows to him this time before looking down at the menu. Aaron looked at her, just for a little moment longer and then looked down to the menu himself. Soon enough, they ordered their food. Their drinks came to their table and they just started to talk.

Talk about things that they hadn’t talked about before over these few weeks. Lately, it was just about Hayes. Which Aaron was never bothered about, he liked being wrapped up in her world. But she wanted to know about his “You know...I’ve never really asked you about your new movie”

“Self centered” he teased as he sipped his drink. She smirked and rolled her eyes. Aaron rubbed his lips and put his glass down on the table “What about it?”

“That was going to be my question...what’s it about?”

Aaron shrugged “Who knows”

“Aaron” Hayes laughed, slapping her hand on his arm, then shaking it “Stop...oh wait. Is it top secret?”

“You mean is it as confidential as the cases that you tell me about?” once again he teased her, he shrugged again and shook his head “No. It’s about...I play this guy who is a washed up agent, living on his own in a secluded spot. Then brought back to help track down the guy who was responsible for killing his family years ago after he breaks out of prison”

“Hm. And where does Scarlett Johansson fall into this?”

“She’s the one who brings me back from my little hole...sleeps with her of course”

“Of course. Hollywood can’t resist two hot people being on the same screen together without boning each other”

“Jealous?”

“Of you? Absolutely, Johansson is hot” Hayes muttered, reaching for her wine and taking a sip of it. Seeing an amused smile wipe across her face. Also knowing she wasn’t even kidding. Not really. She then put her hand down on the table to signal she had more to say and then said when done with taking her dose of her wine “Big question is. Is it any good?”

“You used to tell me that all my films were good”

“I also used to tell you that you didn’t look stupid with those little blonde highlights in your hair”

“It was the era!”

“It was never the era” Hayes grumbled a laugh, shaking her head “Just because it could work with Justin Timberlake _doesn’t_ mean it worked for you” she pressed her finger briefly against his chest. Okay maybe she had a point. Aaron didn’t comment, he just took it on the chin and finally answered her question “But yeah, it’s looking pretty good…”

She saw what he wanted to ask, she rolled her eyes and said “When’s the premiere?”

Aaron looked back to her from looking to his drink “Bout three weeks”

“You want me to go with you?”

Aaron stared at her for a moment, but didn’t answer. He gave her a soft smile and just took her by the hand, shrugging it off “Let’s just focus on dinner, huh? Time to have that bickering debate later on”

Hayes smiled at him. Appreciated it and moved on with another subject. They stopped talking for a few minutes, but only because their food was so damn good they were in love with it as much as they were for each other.

“My brother and his wife had a baby” Aaron said to her as he finished his last chunk of steak. Hayes eyes widened to him “What? When?”

“Coupla months ago”

“Why didn’t you tell me! I love your brother”

“Suppose I better watch out then” Aaron muttered with a smirk. Hayes rolled her eyes again. Their hands on the table, hers resting over his, lightly stroking the back of his hand with her finger “For the record, he always loved you too. I don’t know why but he thought you were a good influence”

“He was delusional. That’s why I liked him”

Aaron laughed and nodded “Yeah I guess. But yeah, he had a little boy. You’re looking at a godfather”

Hayes stared at him for a moment and slowly shook her head, saying in a low voice “God is it wrong that turns me on?”

Aaron raised his brows to her, he then smirked “Nothing is wrong with you being turned on”

Hayes exhaled a small amused air, she leaned forward to him and lightly pressed her lips against his, taking her hand from his and resting it on his jaw. Hayes pulled her lips away after a long tender moment and then pressed her forehead against his, stroking his cheek with her thumb, she looked into his eyes “Did I ever thank you?”

“For?”

“Staying with me. Being as patient as you’ve been...you could have left”

Aaron nodded, looking down to his hand that rested on her leg, he cleared his throat and grumbled “Yeah well I made that mistake once before, I refuse to do it again” he looked up to her eyes and softly smiled “You’re _it_. Hayes”

Hayes felt a warm feeling rush through her whole entire body. The smile that came on her face said it all. She never knew how much she wanted him to say that, she always thought she didn’t want him to. But to be loved, by him. Clearly, she had missed it. Though deep down, she knew she was always loved by him. She leaned forward again and kissed him once more.

“Call for the cheque” She whispered into his ear. Running her fingers through the side of his hair and then added “Dessert can be arranged back at mine”

* * *

Hayes woke up, groggy and cursing in her head as she heard a text tone go off on either hers or Aaron’s phone over and over again. Hayes put the pillow over her head, resting her arm across his stomach “Aaron, is that yours?”

“Fraid not, baby” Aaron grumbled, still half asleep. Hayes groaned as she dragged her head up, only for it to fall back down on the pillow again as she lifted her phone. It was from Conner. Demanding that she got up now and met him, presumably about a case. _Hopefully_ about a case.

Hayes sat up, putting the phone to the side and running her hands over her face before running her fingers through her hair. She then felt Aaron’s lips press against her shoulder “Don’t even think about it” he whispered. Pulling her back down to the bed, Peggy smiled against his lips and then frowned “I have to”

“No. Pretend you didn’t get it”

“Aaron” Hayes muttered, then kissing him. Running her hands down the side of his body as his hands gripped to her back and then went to go underneath her shirt. She giggled and then shook her head. Quickly bringing her head up before she did anything that would keep her detained “I can’t, I really can’t I have to go”

Aaron groaned and put his head back down back on the pillow. Hayes kissed his chest for a brief moment and then said with a smile “You, just stay here all day. I’ll be thinking about you in my bed” a mischievous smirk grew across her face “And I’ll make this morning rejection up to you”

Aaron smiled and nodded “Okay”

Hayes grinned to him, then gave him a quick kiss before jumping off of the bed and going to work.

* * *

“So it’s going okay?” Aaron asked as he filled his plate up with chinese food, then turning the choice of sexy jazz music up on the stereo. Looking to Hayes who just shrugged and nodded as she chewed down her food, then going on to say “I guess. Working with the NYPD is just...wait no”

Aaron raised his brows to her as he sat down beside her “No?”

“We’re not talking about this”

“...I’m sorry?”

Hayes let out a small laugh and shook her head “No, I don’t mean it like that. I mean. Well we always talk about my stupid work”

Aaron tilted his head to her “Not exactly stupid, getting potentially innocent people outta prison”

“Doesn’t matter” Hayes shook her head, she shuffled herself into a comfier position and asked “Have you got anything coming up?”

Aaron looked to her as he chewed down on his chicken, unconvincingly playing it cool by slowly shaking his head and muttering “No…”

“Lies” she smirked. Putting her plate on the table, she put her hand on his arm and squinted at him “You’ve got a script in your bag”

Aaron swallowed the chicken down and pointed his chopsticks at her “ Have you been in my bag?”

“I didn’t have to. Whenever you stayed at my place, or I stayed at yours. You always had a script during your movie hiatus. Read it in bed” she smirked as he rolled his eyes, knowing she was right and looked back down to his food. Hayes glanced at the bag again that was on the edge of the couch “So what is it?”

“I don’t even know yet. Got it mailed to me this morning. I mean-I know the general theme”

“Which is?”

Aaron smirked, he put the plate on the table and held his hands up, fingers spread wide to build suspense and then said in theatrical whisper “Boxing”

“Like Rocky?”

“No. It’s gritter from what I’ve heard” he said, dropping his hands. Hayes put her hand on his chest and said in a tone that was both teasing whilst also being serious “Will you be having to train?”

“You bet. Come back to you nearly every night. All hot and sweaty”

“And it’s usually me that gets you like that” Hayes said dryly, which got a laugh out of him. Hayes stretched over to get it, but he lightly slapped her hand away “Hey, you ain’t reading it before me”

“Oh come on. I can read it and then tell you whether it’s worth reading”

“I have to read it anyway” Aaron said with a light laugh. Hayes then went on to launch herself over his body. Aaron laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. Picking her up as he stood “Aaron!” she yelled in an excited shriek “Okay! Script your ass off, just put me down”

Aaron walked all the way to the kitchen, with her over his shoulder to grab a bottle of beer out of the fridge, then walked over to the couch and dropped her back down on it. He lay over her for a moment and then grumbled “We better get this food down us”

“No, I’m interested in this right here” Hayes muttered, putting her finger on on his cheek and turning his head back to her, pressing her lips to his. When suddenly, her phone rang. Hayes rolled her eyes and pulled her lips away, she looked to the phone whilst Aaron kept his eyes on her. Smirking, she wouldn’t able to to resist. Hayes looked at him. He cleared his throat and sat himself back up “Go ahead, you know you want to”

Hayes sighed, she knew she wanted to too. Hayes grabbed her phone and ran her fingers through the side of Aaron’s hair as she picked it up, with his lips pressed against her wrist “Yes?”

_“Clark Sims is giving a phone interview on WABC”_

Hayes took her hand away from Aaron’s head and tapped his chest “Put on WABC”

Aaron reached for the remote and did as he was asked, turning on the TV. Hayes rested her body beside Aaron’s and watched with him what her new case had to say on national air.

“What’s he saying?”

Hayes didn’t need an answer from Tess. Who just remained quiet. The channel was on just in time. And what they heard. She certainly wasn’t expecting. Clark Sims confession to be the black orchid killer. Aaron looked to Hayes, he didn’t exactly know what that meant for his investigation. For him it looked pretty clear, but he wasn’t a lawyer. He played one once. But he wasn’t one.

“Tess...go and see Clark Sims tomorrow. From what Sam has said, he likes you, get it out of him why he’s just possibly ruined his own investigation”

_“Yeah. Sure”_

“We’ll go through everything tomorrow” Hayes hung up the phone and rubbed her forehead, leaning her elbows own on her knee, feeling Aaron rub her back “So...is that it?”

“We can’t stop it there, it’s only been a day. Hopefully Tess will be able to get through to him” Hayes muttered, resting her head on her hands and looking to Aaron over her shoulder. Giving him a tight smile “We’ll figure it out”

“Course you will...shall we carry on with dinner?” Aaron said, motioning his hand over to their food. She nodded and they both reached for their plate. Sitting back on the couch. Aaron looked to her “Wanna talk about your work-”

“Lord no. Not now cause I no longer know where to start” Hayes sighed, then giving him another tight smile, she nudged him as she tucked back into her food “Quit looking at me like that”

“Sorry I can’t help it” Aaron smirked.

Secretly setting butterflies off in her stomach.

* * *

Hayes had a knock on her office door the next day, she looked up to Frankie popping head head in and pointing behind him with his thumb “Your um...Aaron Smith is here”

Hayes looked over and saw Aaron walking through, towards her office. She subtly smirked and cleared her throat “Well. I have some time to see what my Aaron Smith wants” she teased.

Frankie rolled his eyes with a small amused smile and then walked back out of the office, shaking Aaron’s hand and slapping his arm as he walked past. Considering he gets all starstruck over scientists, he’s insanely cool around famous actors. Tess on the other hand was practically hyperventilating in the corner of the conference room. Again.

Aaron walked into her office and she couldn’t help but grin “You must be seriously bored without me”

Aaron looked behind him and then put his hands to his chest “Am I that transparent?”

Hayes giggled and swatted his chest as he pulled her close and kissed her cheek, then mocking a gasp and teased “Sorry. Is that inappropriate in the workplace?”

“Well. It’s pretty tame by our standard” Hayes muttered, shooting him a smirk before lifted her head back up, getting the hair out of her eyes “Now, what are you bothering me with?”

Aaron laughed breathlessly and linked his hands together on her back “Movie night, tonight?”

“You can’t get enough of me can you?”

“Not really. I also can’t get enough of Rachel McAdams either so it’d be a win win for me”

Hayes gripped onto his beefy leather jacket and pretended to give it a long thought, but she knew what the answer already was, she looked at him with a smirk and nodded “Yeah, I’d like that. Haven’t been to the movies in a while”

“Good” Aaron muttered as he leaned forward and kissed her. Hayes had her hands loosely clenched against his chest, putting her middle finger up to her Tess and Frankie, who she knew were looking at them through the conference room. Which was one hundred percent true. Hayes put her finger under his chin and then slowly dragged her lips away from his. Aaron kissed her cheek, then her eyes, then nose. He was far more lovey dovey now that they were officially dating.

Hayes may act like she was tough and didn’t like the mushy stuff. But she was just like every other helpless romantic woman who longed for the attention. The right kind of attention. The genuine kind. Aaron looked at her and then whispered “Can I stay here?”

“No” Hayes laughed breathlessly, slapping his chest “I have work to do”

“Hm...work...I can remember what that was like”

“Have you read the script?”

Aaron slowly nodded “Started. Both”

“Both?”

He looked to her from looking to the floor at the point of the room and looked to Hayes, nodding again to her “Yup. Both Universal and Lionsgate want me to go for their film”

“Wow, look at you. Congratulations are in order I guess. It’s a brilliant situation to be in”

Aaron nodded, his hands slipping from her back and tucked his hands in his pockets. Not seeming as happy as he should be. Hayes pinched her brows together “What?”

Aaron then sighed “You see. The one I told you bout, the boxing one. Is here in New York...but the other one they just offered me…”

“Not New York?”

“Africa”

Hayes’s brows flew up “Africa...wow...how long for?”

Aaron sighed and shrugged “I don’t know. Could be nearly a year”

“A _year_?” Hayes choked. Aaron took his hands and put them on her arms, shaking his head and said helplessly “I know. It’s a thing about being in the army and it’s just gonna take some time with location and stuff...I wouldn’t consider it but. Script is real good and...they want me bad”

“So they’re offering you more money” Hayes nodded with a small smile, seeing right through him. She wasn’t mad. It was the way the business worked, hell who doesn’t want more money?

“Fifteen mil for the boxing one...thirty mil for this one in Africa”

“Wow. Double” Hayes said breathlessly. Aaron breathed heavily through his nose “I was gonna tell you, later on. I know we’ve just started this again. Properly, _but_ if this is gonna have the future we’re hoping for...then it’s something I should have your input in”

Hayes started at him “Are you scared I’ll play away whilst you're gone or something? Because I never cheate-”

“No nothing like that, come on, it’s just...y’know it’d be hard. Being away from each other that long when we’re trying our relationship again. If I take that I’ll leave in a few weeks”

Hayes raised her brows and looked away from him, slowly nodded and then walking out of his hold “Oh...great”

“I know” Aaron bit his lip and just looked at her. Hayes rested her hand on the desk and stared down at it for a moment, trying to gather her words. She looked up to Tess and Frankie, who clearly wanted to talk to her, but they could also tell that it soon went tense between herself and Aaron. Hayes looked to Aaron and cleared her throat “I have to get back to work so...you do what you think is more important”

Aaron knew what that translated to. What was more important?

More money and job status. Or her and their relationship?

* * *

Aaron was in his apartment. Pacing up and down the apartment, in front of the coffee table that had the scripts in front. It had been two days since he told her about this movie thing. They went to the movies together that night, but there was certainly tension.

 _Fall to Rise -_ Boxing film. Co-starring Margot Robbie, a friend of his who would be remarkable to work with and Dwayne Johnson. To name a few more, Julia Roberts who would play his older sister and then Harrison Ford. A hero of his. Solid story, both uplifting and heartbreaking. It would be a good move in his career. One of the best he has ever made to the date in fact.

 _My Boy_ \- War film. Co-starring Sigourney Weaver, an actress who defies categorization and she would be playing his mother. Then there would be Daisy Ridley playing his sister. Along with stars who would be his fellow soldiers such as Matt Damon, Cobie Smulders and Will Smith. The script was also solid. It had a raw real feel to it that would shake audiences to their core. If he was thinking big, this was the thing he would be getting Oscar buzz for. Something he had been working his ass off to get close to for seventeen years.

After all the stupid cheesy romcoms, being portrayed as just the dumb pretty boy or the god awful romance dramas where he had to rip his shirt off in practically every scene. Sure he’d have his shirt off in Fall to Rise, but at least that was for an actual purpose, he would more than happy. But in some of his films, directors just used to say in random scenes for him to rip his shirt off. Looking back he thought how utterly irrelevant it was. Just lately was he starting to be taken seriously. Being caught in between these two films was kind of a dream spot to be in, but it was still so damn hard.

He wanted to be with Hayes so badly. He had waited his whole damn life for Hayes Morrison. After six years of being utterly lost, she took him back. And now he was considering leaving her behind whilst he went to Africa for nearly a year. That made him feel sick...but he had been working _so_ hard. He hoped she’d understand why he was finding it so hard to decide, she too was very work driven. She had worked her ass of to where she got...the whole being arrested thing aside. She worked her ass off through college and in Chicago etc.

Aaron’s pacing stopped when he got a knock on his door, he scratched the back of his head and jogged over to the door. Aaron opened the door and saw Hayes leaning against the door frame. She sighed and said in a soft, serious voice “I think we should talk...don’t you?”

* * *

 

**what do you think Aaron should/will do?**


	13. Chapter 13

They talked, for hours even. Eventually about things that wasn’t regarding his job. But they had a conclusion, not about what film he was going to do. That was still a decision he was going to have to make. He now had just under three weeks before his decision had to be made regarding the army film. If he doesn’t go for it, they’ve got Zac Efron waiting right behind him. 

Hayes told him that it was okay for him to struggle with the decision, that he needs to take his time to think regarding this was his career, it was important to her as well as him. She wants to see him succeed. More importantly, she assured him that no matter what. She’ll still be there, whether he stays in New York or is miles away in Africa, she’ll stick by him. Which he was grateful for, made him feel better. He still had no idea what he was going to do though.

They move past it, for now anyway. Two days after their discussion at his place. They woke up at hers. Hayes like it better at her place, that she wasn’t exactly subtle about. It was made pretty clear to him that she’d rather be in her own bed, with him in it with her. The best reason was “My mattress is better” Hayes said, leading her shirtless actor out of her room with her finger hooked in his pants. Walking out wearing in one of his shirts.

“Really?” Aaron hummed.

“Yeah. For  _ all  _ things” Hayes smirked, turning herself around to him, wrapping her arms around his back as he argued back “But surely the firm feel of my mattress would be better on your back?”

Hayes shook her head, with a smirk still on her face “Mine is better for those things like last night...and this morning” she laughed breathlessly as Aaron took her lips with his own. Raking her nails on his back.

“You might wanna put on some clothes and changed the subject” Jackson piped up from the side of them, sitting on the couch. With amused smirks on both of their faces, Hayes turned her head to Jackson, with her body still pressed against Aaron’s “Since when are you so modest?”

But it was evident to see straight afterwards that Jackson wasn’t saying it for his own sake. As her dad came up behind her from the kitchen “Probably since I got here”

Aaron’s face completely dropped as Hayes’s lit up “Dad!” she took her arms away from Aaron’s and went over to hug her dad. Aaron knew how much Hayes misses her dad, how badly she has always wanted to make him proud. Still, doesn’t mean that her dad doesn’t scare him shitless. He was never good enough in Hayes’s parents, he knew that. He thought Hayes's dad liked him, but sometimes he contradicts that thought whenever he see's him again.

Now he was feeling slightly ornamental, being on display as he stood there with his torso showing for the former President of these United States to see. Aaron was also pretty sure that her dad knew what he and Hayes did in the oval office.

“Hey bug” her dad smiled, then looking to Aaron as Hayes pulled away “Aaron. Interesting philosophy on mattresses”

Aaron let out an embarrassed small laugh “Sorry, Sir, we didn’t realise that you were here” he looked to Hayes, who just found all of this very amusing. He then too smirk and briefly scrunched his nose up at her before looking back to her dad as he was saying “Just here for a few days, I was hoping somebody might have time to join me for breakfast?”

Once again, Hayes’s face brightened up, she nodded in agreement. With Jackson being shot down in joining them, Aaron slapped his back and lightly joked “Don’t worry, Jacks, we can have breakfast together”

Hayes giggled and pressed her hands against his stomach, pushing him back into the bedroom as she had to get changed, him too having to do the same. Aaron peeked through the small crack in the door before shutting it completely, he spun around to her “The hell”

“I don’t know” Hayes said with a small laugh as she took off his shirt and tossed it to him for him to put in the laundry basket beside him, which he did and then picked out a sweater from his side of the closet that Hayes has made for him.

“Great so your parents find out we’re back together through us comparing mattresses for sex”

Hayes stared at him and then snorted a laugh once again, with him lightly pushing her back as she sat herself down on the edge of the bed. She gazed at him and then just shrugged “Just relax”

“Relax? Ace, your parents can’t stand me”

“My mom is okay with you...my dad...okay yeah he isn’t a fan but who cares?”

“I care” Aaron frowned “I want to not feel like I have something to prove every time I meet him” he stressful sighed. Hayes got back on her feet and wrapped her arms around him waist.

“I’m sorry that my dad is an ass to you. But I’m serious about you, when he actually gets that through to his skull he’ll back off. He did eventually last time, right?”

“I guess” Aaron mumbled “Can’t help but think the fact we had a  _ last time  _ will make him be even more pushing this time”

She knew what he meant, but she wouldn’t let it get to her. And he shouldn’t let it either. She just gave him a small smile and a quick kiss, she dropped her arms and walked over to her closet to finished getting dressed.

* * *

Whilst Hayes went off with both her father and digging into her new case. After Aaron had breakfast with Jackson, having a slight bitch about the man if the moment who took Hayes to breakfast. Aaron went to the gym to his do his daily sparring. Another thing to chalk up for the boxing film, he was already familiar with the sport. 

And he was pretty damn good at it, if he did say so himself. He did his spot of sparring non stop for a good half an hour, then he did some isolated workouts on the punch bags. He left it after an hour and a half he had only planned in doing a shorter work out. The gym was practically empty, he had his own locker room in the gym considering a close friend of his owned the place. In the locker room, he wasn’t going for a shower here as he planned to jog home. He stayed in his gym shorts and tight fitted gym shirt, putting his apple watch back round his wrist.

His friend who owned the place, Jake, popped his head in the door “Aaron. Got a visitor”

Aaron looked up as Hayes’s dad, Theodore walked into the room. Aaron swallowed heavily and said as he threw his bandages he had wrapped around his hands in the locker “Mr President, Sir”

“Hi Aaron” he said as he stood on the opposite side of the bench that was in the middle of the room. Aaron put his hands on his hips and looked at him. As Theodore went on to say “So it’s been awhile since your girlfriends dad caught you talking about sleeping with her?”

Aaron looked at him, a little stuck on what to say at first. He then let out a small laugh and rubbed his forehead “Yeah well. Anytime it’s happened before I just blocked out”

With an amused smirk on his face, Theodore nodded “Well, I have to say I am grateful for the support you have given her since she has joined the CIU”

Aaron shrugged “It’s nothing. Just glad she let me. Hayes sure has had her guard up”

He nodded to Aaron and then shrugged “For good reason as I remember...so I gather that you and Hayes have officially rekindled the flame”

“Yes, Sir” Aaron nodded, he couldn’t even help the smile that grew on his face, he then cleared his throat and got onto a more serious point “I know you and Harper have always been skeptical of  _ me _ . But I’ve grown. We both have”

“Hm. But how long for?”

“Sir?”

“I just don’t know how long you guys can go long term. I heard about this job in Africa. A sweet deal...but do you really think you and Hayes could make that? With only just being back in your relationship? Cause if you do, maybe you both aren’t as grown as you think”

Aaron remained silent. But his blood was beginning to boil. With Theodore, he’s always had to bite his lip “She’s a force of nature, my daughter”

“Sir. Hayes isn’t the woman that she was a few months back. I dare say she’s gone back to the way she was when she and I first met”

“You bring that out in her, which I have to admire. But your break up is the reason she went destructive in the first place. There’s one thing Hayes will never stop being, and that’s an alpha. And you, Aaron. You’re modest But you know that you’re an alpha too. Trust me, a relationship can’t handle two alphas. If you weren’t then you would have had your arm twisted by  Hayes and took the job closest to her, but you haven’t”

It remained silent for a moment, Aaron just stared at him and said nothing. Theodore just stuck his hand out for Aaron to shake, Aaron stared at his hand for a moment. He could easily have slapped it away or just looked at him to suggest that he wasn’t going to shake it, but he had to play nice. He was the father of the woman he loved after all. Aaron gave him a firm handshake and then watched him walk out the locker room. When alone, Aaron let out a deep, frustrated breath with his eyes closed. He breathed out a groan.

Aaron didn’t want to lose his temper, but his blood was well and truly raising. He just punched his locker shut, that did it. Almost.

* * *

Aaron walked into Hayes’s apartment that night. As soon as he did he came out with it “Your dad is an ass”

Hayes looked up, with a fork in her mouth and slowly slid it out to then say “Any reason?”

Aaron leaned his hands down on the counter and looked to her, staying quiet for a moment, he then answered her by just telling her the absolute truth “Your dad came to me this afternoon. Take him you told him about the movie thing”

“It came up this morning, I was telling him that I was proud of you”

Damn it. He couldn’t be pissed with her mentioning it to her dad when it was under such nice circumstances. Aaron put his hand on her arm and squeezed “Well, thank you for that. But it did lead to him to come by to my locker room at the gym and say that we probably won’t make it because you’re an alpha and because I’m not some kind of lapdog that means that I am an alpha too by not rolling over and drooling to your commands and apparently alphas can’t be in one relationship”

Hayes just looked at him, in silence. After a good long five seconds she then said “You, Aaron Smith, are taking relationship advice...from my dad?”

Aaron shrugged “Suppose he’s speaking from experience. Didn’t work out for him and your mom”

Hayes put her hands to either side of his jaw and said softly “We’re not them. We have never cheated on each other, we have never treated each other the way that they treated each other. My dad is just trying to rattle you cause he knows that he can. He’s done it before, remember? Even before I met you he’s been doing it to both the ones I dated”

Aaron sighed and looked to a corner of the room for a moment as she lightly kissed his chin, he looked back to er and said “He’s-”

“He’s always been hard on you, because he knows how serious we were last time and can tell we’re even more serious now”

Aaron smiled to her and mumbled with a small nod “Guess you’re right”

“Mm-hm, now kiss me” Hayes whispered, putting her hand to the back of his head and pulled him close. Pressing her lips against his. Aaron wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her even closer to him. Hayes slowly dragged her lips away and rubbed them together before saying “I’m sorry he was an ass to you, but there’s nothing he can do or say to stop this. Because you mean just about everything to me”

Aaron grinned to her and nodded “Yeah...yeah you’re just about everything to me too” he pressed his lips against her temple as her grin grew so wide it pinched her cheeks. She patted his chest and lightly pushed him back “Now. You’re actually just in time”

“Oh yeah? Why?”

Hayes motioning to the stove, he raised his brows and pointed to it “You made this? You actually made chilli?”

“Why do you say that like I can’t cook?” Hayes said as she fiddled around with the stove, Aaron once again raised a brow and said “Because you can’t?”

Hayes dipped the fork in the chilli and raised it up to him, he stared at her, then the fork and shook his head “I’m not eating that thing”

“Oh come on”

“Maybe you can call your dad, he can try it for me, we both know how much he likes having an input in what I do”

“Aaron just try the damn thing. Or wait? Are you too alpha to roll over and drool?”

Aaron looked to her, squinting his eyes at her. She was mocking him. He groaned a small breath and raised his hand “Fine. But only because I am choosing too”

“Of course” Hayes whispered, again in a tone that just mocked. Aaron leaned forward and opened his mouth as Hayes shoved the chilli in. Aaron coughed for a minute and then actually chewed it up and swallowed it. Well at least he got it down alright. He took a moment, with the back of his hand against her mouth. He looked to her and then said in a cracked voice “Yeah-good” he cleared his throat “How many chillies did you put in?”

“Four”

“Jesus Christ” he wheezed as he walked over to the fridge, grabbing her carton of milk and drinking it down like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Aaron opened the door to his apartment and Hayes stormed in “You’re right. He is an ass” 

After a brief moment of him just stood there, thinking about what just happened, he shut the door and slowly turned to her with a curious look on his face “What’s happened?”

Hayes ran her fingers through her hair and let out a breathless, tearful laugh. Putting her hands to her hips, she said nothing. Aaron quickly made his way over to her “Hayes?” his hand went to her back “Talk to me, what’s up?”

Hayes scoffed “All I wanted. All I have ever wanted. Is for my dad to look at me right in the eyes and say that he was proud of me.  _ I’m proud of you bug _ . Is that really so damn hard?”

“What’s he said?”

“Nothing, that’s the whole point. He comes to me with this case, railroads me to take it. Not because he cares about Omar but because it makes him look good...he made it look like I was making some sort of scene and  _ god  _ he never believed in me” her eyes began to well up, she shook her head and looked to the floor “Never…”

Aaron kissed her temple, Hayes quickly snapped out of it, she patted down the escaped tears and rubbed her hands together “Screw it. Screw him. I’m not letting it get to me. They  _ always  _ get to me”

She walked over to the window and looked out at the view. They really were insanely high up. Aaron came up behind her and wrapped his arms round her waist, resting his head on her shoulder, he kissed her jaw, cheek and neck. Hayes took his hands and put them to the opening of her blouse, which he slipped his hand under and roamed her body. She turned her body to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body harder against his till he picked her up, with her legs locked around his waist, he carried her to the bedroom.

They lay their afterwards, her body tucked closely against his and their hands threaded together, with her eyes on them she asked “Have you come any closer in making a decision?”

She heard him sigh through his nose against the side of her head and then said as he brushed his head gently against hers “No not yet. Got to soon though”

“Don’t let what my dad said to you make any effect into your decision. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about”

“Well clearly from what he’s said to you” Aaron muttered, pressing his lips against her head.

“You trust me and I trust you. Even if you would be working with Cobie Smulders...who is insanely sexy”

“And married” Aaron added on “Marriages are more your thing”

Hayes gasped at his dry joke and slapped his leg as he laughed, an amused smirk growing across her face, she then heard him add on “If I take the boxing one I’d be working with Margot...equally sexy”

“Yes. True. Though also now married. Still, you’d be here...where you could come home to me…” it went silent for a moment, she then heard Aaron say “You want me to take the one in New York”

Hayes lay on her back to look at him “I didn’t say that”

“You didn’t have to” he said with a small smile.

Hayes’s words crackled in her throat for a moment as she tried the right words on what to say “Would I like you to stay in New York rather than go to Africa for nearly a year production? Of course. But it isn’t about what I want as I have told you from the night we talked about this. It’s about what you want. I will be here, supporting you whether you are ten meters away from me or ten thousand miles away” she couldn’t help but think that Aaron was scared in case something went wrong whilst he was away, she couldn’t quite put er finger on what.

Perhaps he was afraid they’d fight about how it was harder than they thought. That she would resent him from actually leaving. And she wished that she could say she’d never say that, but she did have a habit of saying harsh things in the heat of the moment. Which was a fatal flaw of hers. Hayes looked at him, gazed. She said the one thing that she could think of to make him feel better “Aaron I love you. A year isn’t going to change that. I sure as hell know six didn’t”

Aaron gave her a soft, grateful smile. It helped even more knowing that she meant it. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips down onto hers.

* * *

Hayes went to the hanger, where Omar was being reunited with his family. Accompanied by her dad. Who did genuinely seemed relieved that he got out alive. 

“You did it” he complimented.

“Sure did. You should have told me about your UN position” she said boldly. There was always an agenda with her dad. Always. That’s why she was so careful with Conner, because he had learned from the best.

“What does it matter? The man is free. Because of you-”

“And because you wanted a new job” she sighed.

“An important one” Theodore softly argued back with her “I’ll be good at it”

“Why couldn’t you just be honest with me?” Hayes said with a tone of exhaustion. Theodore shrugged and said plainly “The truth hurts you, Hayes, you can’t handle it. Like this whole thing with Aaron-”

“Okay, dad...you have  _ no  _ idea about our relationship...I love him. It took me a long time to admit that to myself and to everyone else including him. But I do, I’m in love with him”

Theodore couldn’t help but huff an amused laugh “You think I don’t know that? You think we all haven’t known that? Believe me I know, and he loves you. Considering everything that he has lost, you’re the one thing that clearly makes his life really worth it. But the one thing he also really can’t afford to lose is his job ranking and he knows that. He climbed that mountain to get where he is at, he carried on after his parents died. He didn’t slip when you and he broke up. Not in a way that showed...do you honestly think that he will give up the job that will give him everything for you?”

Hayes stared at him, in shock, and then asked in a fragile tone “Why would you say that?”

“I know that sounds harsh, bug and I don’t mean to be. But I’m just trying to make you see. If you honestly can’t see the two of you surviving if he takes that job. Then what’s the point?”

Hayes shook her head “You’re wrong about him. About all of it. You underestimate what he and I are capable of. We spent six years apart, do you really think we’d let a year mess us up?”

“No, Hayes the question is. Do you?”

Hayes stared at him, he question struck her. But she wouldn’t let it. She shook her head at him again, looking away from him. She let out a breath and walked away. She didn’t know when it would be the next time she saw him and right now she didn’t care all that much.

She hated the fact that he had gotten into her head. She hated that now she was beginning to contradict herself, really running things over her mind. Till she made herself exhausted. All the way from being in the car to getting into the apartment, sitting there in silence on her couch. Barely even hearing him come in with a bottle of wine in his hand “Spoke to Frankie, told me you guys did it. Y’know I like him. He’s fun”

She didn’t say anything, she was still just in her own head. Aaron walked over to her “You’re amazing you know that?”

“I think you're exaggerating” she said bluntly, not that he even noticed. He just leaned down and kissed her.  He patted her legs “Okay, so we have two things to celebrate. One, is of course you. Everything you’ve done. The second is about a decision that I’ve made”

Hayes still didn’t hear him. She couldn’t help but not pay attention. Aaron walked over with the glasses of wine in his hand. Putting his on the table, he knelt down in front of her to try and grab her attention, he raised his brows “Hayes? You heard what I said. I’ve-”

“I don’t want you to take the army movie” Hayes suddenly blurted out, looking at him. Seeing the shock on his face by the way she just came out with it. Aaron leaned back on his legs for a moment, he put the wine to the table and took hold of her hands, taking a breath on what to say. He cleared his throat and just came out with it “I already have”

Hayes stared at him, her eyes filling up “What?”

“I had a phone call meeting thing with my agent. He was really insisting I took it. Said it’d be the best thing I ever did that...that it would make everything I worked for be worth it and” he shrugged “I dunno I just got this good feeling about it, and with you saying that you’d always be here...I just took it. I thought that I could have both things that I wanted. You and the boost my career needs”

Hayes damned to herself, it wasn’t his fault. If anything. It probably sounded to him that she was encouraging the one in Africa more than she was about the one in New York. She took a breath and put her forehead against her palms. This was her fault.

Aaron sighed, putting his hands on her legs “Baby, you should have said something”

“I know! God, I know I just. I wanted to be supportive...but I only just realised what it was that I was saying to you...it’s too soon Aaron I-I’m scared that I will lash out at you one day whilst you’re away because I’d be missing you so much that it makes me angry with you. I  _ am  _ scared that something will happen. It’s too soon, I want the world for you. I do, you know that because I love you I swear I do-”

Aaron leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, cradling her head. Now he really was in a jam.

  
_ Shit _ . 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was debating splitting this into two parts, but it's the finale so screw it.

Hayes took a breath, seeing the flashing cameras hit the window of their car already. She looked down to her hand linked in his, Hayes then took her eyes to him. They were warm and kind “You alright?”

“Fine” she mumbled. She wasn’t. Not really, after Aaron said that he took this movie deal in Africa, she wasn’t alright. After he told her those nights ago, after she settled down they talked. And she pretended as if she was okay after a while.

The premiere for his movie was dramatically pulled forward since Aaron is supposed to leave in just two weeks. That boxing film still offered him the movie job, they will do till Aaron steps on that plane. Then they’ll move on. Hayes hadn’t been to a premiere in years, not since she and Aaron split up in fact. She wasn’t a fan of premieres, never was. The car pulled up, Aaron looked out of the window, then looked back at her. Giving her a warm smile “Ready?”

Hayes took another breath and then nodded, just saying in a whisper “Yeah”

Aaron opened the door and got out of the limo, the cameras flashing at him with the paparazzi shouting his name as soon as he did. He buttoned up his suit jacket and then turned, holding his hand out for Hayes that she quickly took and moved out of the car. They both looked good. Hot. This was their first public appearance as a couple again. Aaron looked to her and smiled, which made her feel better. A lot better, all she had to do was look at his stupid, cute face and she went all warm inside and felt safe. They walked down the red carpet, his screaming fans hollering for him to go over and sign stuff, which he did. Whilst he did, Hayes met up with his co-star, she had met Scarlett Johansson once before. Always liked her.

Hayes was then begged by a reporter to come over and talk to her, Hayes debated it for the moment but then decided to go over. She may as well set any records straight. Hayes gave them a small smile as she walked over. Tucking her hands in the pockets of her jumpsuit. The reporter held the microphone near her “Hayes Morrison. Good to see you”

“Thank you”

The reporter glanced to the camera and then looked back to Hayes, saying in a laugh “I can’t tell whether I am surprised to see you here or not”

Hayes took a moment and then said “I am”

“Really!”

Hayes shrugged, her expression lightened, she didn’t want to seem too defensive or have any expression that the media could portray her as not wanting to be there or something stupid “Yeah I am, you know...I haven’t been to one of Aaron’s premieres in years”

“You only went to premieres when you were dating, right?”

“Yeah”

A smirk then appeared on the reporter's face, as if she felt naughty for asking this “So are you and Aaron finally dating again?”

Hayes looked to the camera, she then looked over to Aaron who was answering a question of his own to a reporter. With a big grin on his face and laughing with the guy speaking to him, once again. It brought her warmth, she looked to the reporter again, shrugged and just nodded “Yeah we are, we haven’t been back together for _as_ long as the media have said we have been. But yeah”

“That’s amazing! Cause you guys were like-my  _favorite_ couple when you guys were together, I was devastated when you guys broke up”

Hayes let out a forced, small laugh and nodded again “That’s nice of you to say”

“And what about this movie in Africa!”

“What about it?”

“He’s got to be excited for it”

“Oh, yeah he is”

“Are you going with him?”

Hayes expression dropped for a quick moment, till she regained her composure almost instantly and shook her head, clearing her throat “No, I’m staying here. I have work”

“Right right. Well I’m sure you’re gonna miss him, seen as though your relationship has only just gotten back on”

Hayes saw Aaron approach her in the corner of her eye. Thank god. She just nodded again with a genuine face to match her voice “Yeah I am, but it’s his career and I’ve always supported that, even when we were friends so”

“Are my ears burning?” Aaron teased, putting his hand on Hayes’s back as he smiled to the reporter. He was so much better with people, he was charming and funny, considering he had social anxiety, you never would have thought. Hayes was a big help with him in that respect.

“I was just sharing my excitement and I’m sure all your fans excitement about you and Hayes rekindling”

“Sure you’re not as excited as I am” Aaron mumbled, looking to Hayes and sending her a gentle smile, only then to have his attention pulled away with the reporter asking “And how are you feeling about this movie in Africa! A big step, Oscar buzz already I hear just from the plot”

“Yeah it’s exciting, be definitely something I’ve never done before”

“And are you going to miss Hayes?” The reporter asked, not being shy with these questions whatsoever. Aaron shrugged as he nodded “Course I am”

He looked to her, Hayes let out an embarrassed smile, rolled her eyes and just leaned her head against his shoulder as she looked away for a brief moment, turning back with the reporter irritatingly saying _‘awww’_ and then adding with over excitement, looking to the camera “I’m so happy about these two! Thank you guys”

Hayes and Aaron carried on walking round the red carpet, Hayes sighed “Well. I regretted doing that. Are they all so fucking transparently fake?”

“Easy tiger” Aaron mumbled, still having his face on smile mode for the cameras. Hayes then realizing that she had to do the same “I’ll just let you do the talking next time, how about that?”

“Well first time for everything” Aaron was soon approached by one of the organizers of the premiere and told him that he was to go pose for photos, at first on his own. Hayes sure as was then asked to pose for a few of her own, doing them as soon as possible, she made her way over to Aaron where they had photos together. Aaron leaned to her ear and whispered “I’ll make this up to you”

“It’s not all bad” Hayes said, still smiling, she looked to him as he pulled away and gazed into her eyes. A gold mine for the pap. Hayes shrugged and added “I’m here to support you, and to see your movie which I’m sure is going to be great. I’m glad I’m here with you”

Aaron grinned to her and whisper “May I kiss you?”

“It’s not like you to ask” Hayes smirked and teased in a higher pitched voice. Aaron laughed and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers. Which made the noises of clicking cameras go off like crazy.

* * *

God she was glad that night was over. Don’t get her wrong, she thought the film was great, one of his bests. The after party was fun. But she was glad to get that press thing out of the way. All they asked about was Africa and how they will cope as a couple. It was only weighing down on the worries that Hayes already had about it all.

Hayes drowned herself in her work. The only thing she knew to do lately when she was stressed. She went to the office extra early and was looking for one case file in particular. She was so into it that Aaron scared the crap out of her when he said “You left our bed in a hurry this morning”

Hayes jumped and sighed “Aaron”

“Unless you were hurrying out of someone else’s bed” He lightly teased, raising his brows to her and walking in the office. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she said “Well if you must know those damn garbage trucks woke me up so I just came in early”

“You got something new lined up?”

“If I can find it...you remember that case I took years ago?”

“How many years we talking?”

Hayes lifted her head and looked straight ahead as she carried on thinking about it “Nine” she looked back down to the files and added “We were dating for about five months when this case came up...I messed it up. First time I met Wallace. Only time up until Chicago”

“I love it when you bring him up” Aaron laid on in a thick sarcastic voice, which made her laugh and add “Shut up”

“But yeah I remember it. You lost...your client was guilty?”

“No I messed it up” Hayes gently argued back “Maybe he is guilty but it’s eating away at me, ever since I started this job I just can’t help but think about it”

Aaron took his arms away from around her waist and leaned against the desk, looking at her as she kept her eyes on the files, he took hold of her hand “Hey”

Eventually she took her eyes to him, he tilted his head to her and asked “You okay? You seem a little tense”

Hayes stared at him. She didn’t want to push down on this movie thing again, normally she was one for confrontation but not with him and not about this. They’d be going round in circles and push each other to their limits. Hayes stepped in front of him and nodded as she put her hands to his cheeks “I’m all good”

She pulled him close and pressed her lips gently against his. Both inhaling through their noses at the same time as they embraced it. Hayes eventually dragged her lips off of his and let out a satisfied hum as she looked to his eyes, running her fingers through the front of his hair. She loosely wrapped her arms around his neck “You remember when we first met?”

“I can’t forget even if I wanted to. Which part of me does because you yelled at me the first time we met, because you bumped into me”

“I’m still adamant you set it up on purpose just so I’d look at you”

Aaron scoffed “Please you were already looking at me”

Hayes raised her brows and challenged “Really?”

“Yeah. Cause when I was looking over at you. Thinking _god who is that beautiful, sexy woman_ you then looked straight over to me. Thinking the same thing weren’t you?”

“Yes” Hayes nodded “Your co-star was stood next to you and god she was something”

Aaron lightly slapped her backside as she laughed at herself once again and then securing her hands to her waist. Hayes ran her hands over his chest “Is that really what you thought?”

“Yeah. And then you opened that big mouth of yours” he paused as he saw her offended face and finished his sentence “And it made me have a thing for you even more”

Hayes expression softened, damn near blushing “It did?”

“Hell yeah. You know how much I like a bit for fire in a woman, especially when that woman is y’know. You” He lightly kissed her nose and then added on “You walked off, knowing I was watching you. And I knew who you were, but God I wanted to really know you”

“Love at first sight” Hayes rolled her eyes at him.

Aaron laughed, scrunching his nose up “If you believe in that kind of thing”

Hayes just let out a small, mumbled laugh and kissed him again. Aaron stood up straight and cleared his throat as he glanced down to the file “Have another go at it, I’m sure you’ll make things right” he kissed the side of her head “I’ll see you later”

Hayes’s smile continued, when she heard the door closed it slowly slipped as she got wrapped up in her own thoughts once again.

* * *

_Nine Years Ago._

_Hayes rushed into the taxi, she was so late. Hayes sat in the back “Criminal courthouse, as fast you can. Oh and one stop on the way, Smithson’s dry cleaners”_

_There was soon a knock on the window, Hayes turned and saw Aaron stood outside of the window, she stared at him, with her brows raised, not sure what he wanted. Aaron rolled his eyes and rotated his hand for Hayes to put her window down, which Hayes eventually did “You’ve already made me late as it is, what?”_

_Aaron pulled her phone out from his back pocket and handed it out for her to take “You forgot something”_

_Hayes sighed and took the phone out of her hand, he laid his hands the bottom of the window “Call me later bout lunch”_

_“Yes. I will” Hayes said quickly. She noticed him just gazing at her for a moment and then slapped her hand on his chest to push him back “Aaron I’m seriously so late”_

_“Kind of worth it though, right?”_

_“If I say yes will you let me leave?”_

_“Yeah”_

_“Then yes. Best time of my life. You rocked my world now please” she said with a stressed expression, faffing around by shoving the phone in her bag. Aaron laughed and stood up straight “Give them hell, Ace”_

_Hayes flashed him a quick smile “Don’t I always?” she turned her head and quickly slapped on the window between herself and the taxi “Move! Go go go!”_

_Aaron put his hands on his hips and let out a small laugh, she was so striven to not be serious and then she gets all serious from rushing around, he looked down to himself and realised that he better go put a shirt on. They had been going steady for five months now, and damn he had fallen for her hard. But then again, she had for him._

* * *

Yes, nine years ago the rebellious President’s daughter was everything that was said about her. Apart from being promiscuous. She was a rebel, trouble maker and was a force of nature. She was all of those things, crazy in love with the most desired heartthrob of 00’s.

Her promiscuity became true after she and Aaron split and she went ‘off the rails’. He also earned that title too which only made the media make it clear that they were so heartbroken that they’d rather not have anyone at all, Which was dramatic. But also kind of true.

Now she was back to where she was nine years ago. Back to being the rebellious daughter who was crazy in love with the same most desired heartthrob. Had to give it to him. Nearly ten years and if anything, women want to rip his clothes off now more than ever.

Following afternoon, Hayes was in her office at lunch time. Going over what she had so far Gerald’s case. When she heard a knock at the door, Aaron stood there with a brown paper bag in his hand, no doubtedly he had brought her lunch. Hayes sighed a small smile and then said “Why do they keep letting you in here?”

Aaron laughed as he walked in the office and shrugged “Make friends in this place and they do you favours”

Hayes took hold of the bag and muttered “You and Frankie are beginning to worry me...thanks by the way”

“How’s it going?” Aaron asked, motioning his hand to the papers. Hayes just shrugged and once again said in a mutter “It’s going”

Aaron stared at her, he then silently sighed and roughly rubbed his forehead, feeling like he was one hundred percent going to regret what he was about to say to her “Hayes what’s going on? Ever since your dad left town you’ve been distant”

“No I haven’t”

“Really?”

Hayes sighed and looked up at him, remaining silent for a moment. Aaron sighed and shrugged his shoulder, sharply moving his hands out from his chest as he asked “Talk to me, what is wrong? Did he say something to you?”

“It’s not just that I’m...okay yes, he did say something to me. About us, you. He said that no matter how hard you care for me you can’t resist...money and career ranking will always be the top thing for you, and then that night you told me you took that job in Africa I just…”

Aaron stared at her, what she just said quite frankly broke his heart a little bit, in a wounded mutter he said “That’s what you think? You agree with him that I’m like that?”

Hayes said nothing, she just looked away and sighed, she then heard him add, in a more clear and firm voice “We talked. We talked for hours. You didn’t say that you didn’t want me to take this job, in fact you encouraged it. If you had told me not to take it you damn well know I wouldn’t have because that’s who I am, Hayes, I am a man who values the opinion of the woman he is sharing his life with. Okay yeah, I took this job because I knew it would be a step for me in my career but I would have said no if I knew how you felt. You think I’d choose my career over you? Why would I do that? Throw away the one thing I’ve wanted the most in my life which is, guess what? _You_ ”

“Aaron I-”

“Hold on. Hold on” Aaron held his hand up to her, with his eyes closed “I need to get this out now because I need you to see” he leaned down on the desk and looked into her teary eyes “No job, no amount of money and no awards could ever compare to you. You are the most outstanding, beautiful woman I have ever met in my entire life and I don’t know how many other ways I can say it or show it. Your humour, your stubbornness and just about every trait you possess in your whole being, the ones you don’t even like, I still love. Your dad is right that my career is important to me. But I would turn down a million jobs if that made you happy. I don’t know what else I can do, Hayes, to try and make you get it into your head. I love you. I’ve been in love you with ever since I was a twenty five year old _kid_ and I will love you till I’m old and grey. That’s who I am. A guy who is completely in love with Hayes Morrison”

Hayes looked to him, her tears on the verge of running down her cheek but she looked down at her desk and avoid that from happening. She looked back up to him, clearing her throat, she still had her guard up “Well argued”

Aaron sighed, shaking his hand as he bowed his head down “We’re not in god damn court Hayes” he looked back into her eyes and stood back up, he turned his back to her and said as he walked out “I’ll leave you to it. I’m gonna go to the gym, hopefully you won’t think I love that more than you either”

Hayes shut her eyes as the door closed, she leaned forward and buried her head in her hands. Looking out the window, that was when tears ran down her cheeks “Fuck” she cursed under her breath, wiping the tears away from her cheeks and leaning back into her chair. Hayes rubbed her lips together and took in a deep breath. Why didn’t she say anything? Why didn’t she get up, hug him and say she loved him too. Even apologize for doubting him. Why didn’t she do any of that? Hayes leaned her elbows down on the desk and scraped her fingernails through her hair as she looked down to Gerald’s file. After sitting in silence for a good fifteen minutes, she got a vivid flashback of a conversation she once had with him about his wife, Claire, who he was accused of murdering.

_“I wanted her to know who I was”_

Hayes suddenly looked up from down at the file, like something had just hit her. Her conscience telling her to get out of the chair. Aaron just poured his heart out, he let her know who he was. What he felt. But she didn’t return the favour, it wasn’t exactly too late to do so. Hayes got out of her chair and walked down the CIU halls to the elevator.

She took a cab to the gym Aaron trains in. Exactly seven minutes later she was pulled up outside of it.

_“She saw me, and she loved me anyway”_

Hayes walked up the steps of the gym and walked in, right past the reception, though they didn’t even want to stop her. They were kind of engaged actually. Hayes walked straight to the workout floor and saw Aaron taking out his frustrations on a punch bag at the back of the gym. One of the other gym members saw her and slapped Aaron’s hand to get his attention, Aaron looked to the woman who hit his arm and then to Hayes who she was motioning to. He stayed stood right where he was, catching his breath. Hayes’s walking slowed down as she stood in front of him, she looked into his ocean eyes, her mouth open to say something and then a few seconds later, she said “I love you too” she took in a deep breath and sighed with a frown “And I’m sorry I doubted you”

Hayes dropped her hand on his slightly sweaty chest and _whimpered_ “I just...I don’t want you to go…”

Aaron sighed, he cupped her face and kissed her forehead before she lifted her head and pressed her lips against his, wrapped her arms around his waist before resting her head on his shoulder and he held her tightly.

* * *

_“Hey, your honor” Aaron whispered, coming up from behind Hayes and tickling her waist. He turned around and giggled as he pushed her into the elevator, quickly closing the doors before anyone could get in “Who was that guy looking eager to get in here with you?”_

_Hayes rolled her eyes as Aaron held her close “Conner Willis, at least I think that’s his name. He’s my opponent...how did you get in here?”_

_“It’s a courthouse not a prison. All kinds of riff raff can walk in here”_

_“Maybe they thought you were a convict” Hayes teased. Aaron smirked and nodded “Only if you’ll be my lawyer cause that’d be worth getting locked up for”_

_“Keep those lines coming and you will get locked up” Hayes laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Aaron hummed a laugh and looked at her outfit “By the way, you are looking unbelievably sexy” he kissed her, so lightly and briefly that it was practically a tease to get her turned on. It didn’t take much. And it worked. Hayes slapped her hand against the emergency stop button and jumped at him, clashing her lips roughly against his. Pulling his jacket off of him and tossing it to the side._

_Aaron pressed her back against the wall roughly, just how she likes it done and kissed her neck, which drives her crazy. She let out an encouraging moan as she gripped onto his hair. His hand went under her skirt and pulled down her tights and underwear as she unbuckled his belt._

_"Come on" Hayes whispered to him as she tugged his jeans and underpants down, wrapping her legs around his waist._

_They ended up sat beside each other, catching their breath. Feeling rather proud of themselves. Aaron laughed breathlessly and said “Well. Scratch this off the list”_

_“Done” Hayes said, still catching her breath. Aaron pressed his lips against her forehead “I should visit you at work more often”_

_“I encourage that you do” Hayes whispered, putting her lips to his “By the way, my opponent. Definitely wants to screw me”_

_“Well, who wouldn’t. You’re fucking irresistible” Aaron muttered, kissing her neck. Hayes smirked and bit her lip before saying “Lucky for you. I only want you to have me”_

_Aaron smiled to her “Good”_

* * *

Aaron woke up beside Hayes, watching her sleep. Already missing this, missing watching her sleep already. It was five am. He had trouble sleeping, thinking about what she said the other day at the gym. She really didn’t want him to go. She was scared. It wasn’t that hard to see, even after she pretended she was okay, the more he thought about it. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that she was never okay.

Aaron got out of bed, after giving her a light kiss on the cheek. Five am and he was going for a jog, he really must be conflicted about everything. His mind suddenly went back to nine years ago.The first time he ever met Conner.

_Hayes had just called him, telling him that she had lost her case. She sounded pretty bummed, guilty even. So he said he’d meet her at the courthouse and then go take her somewhere to take her mind off of it. When he walked in the courthouse, he walked up the stairs where she said she would be, sat at a bench waiting for him. He saw her and went to approach her, when suddenly someone had beaten him to it._

_“You okay?”_

_Hayes looked up to him “No. Disappointed. I promised you an ass kicking in court”_

_“Next time” he quipped. Hayes shrugged and stood up, seeing Aaron over Conner’s shoulder and went to walk over to him. Conner quickly blocked her way “Listen um...would you wanna go out with me?”_

_Hayes stared at him, as Aaron slowly walked over, just about hearing what was said._

_“Like on a date. Dinner, drinks, maybe even some sex”_

_Hayes laughed breathless “Well, Wallace, as tempting as that offer is. There is just one thing you are forgetting about”_

_Conner smirked and took a step towards her “Oh yeah? What’s that?” he suddenly felt a hard hand slap on his shoulder which made him jump, he looked to Aaron, who he recognized. He was the hot topic right now. Hayes smiled and said as Aaron put her arm over her shoulder “My boyfriend. Aaron, this is Conner Wallace”_

_Conner laughed “You don’t strike me as the type”_

_Aaron raised a brow to him and laughed himself “Sorry. Didn’t you just ask her out on a date? But she doesn’t seem the type?”_

_Conner scoffed. Hayes, secretly loving this a little, defused the soon to be heated conversation, she put her hand on Aaron’s stomach “Let’s get out of here”_

_She looked back to Conner and said “Well done, on your win. Just don’t get used to it”_

_Aaron smirked and mocked again “You don’t seem like the type to”_

_Hayes sniggered a small laugh and pushed him as they walked down the hall and leaving a red faced Conner stood alone._

Aaron knew from that day that he’d ever like Conner, or guys like him. He just wished that he wasn’t such a big factor in Hayes’s life. He didn’t trust him, never has, never will. Aaron got back at half six. When he did, Hayes was up, with an espresso in her hand. She looked up to him as he walked through the door “Hi”

“Hey, baby” Aaron said, catching his breath, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing a glass and filling it with water. Hayes looked to him “Have trouble sleeping?”

“I just woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep, that’s all. So I went for a run, may as well, right?”

“Sure” Hayes smiled, she cleared her throat and grabbed her bag “I actually better get going, last day of Gerald’s case, my last chance to try and help him”

“You’ll do great” Aaron encouraged as she came over and kissed him. Hayes smiled to him and whispered “I love you”

He could get used to her saying that on a regular basis, Aaron smiled and winked to her “I love you too”

Hayes slid her hand down from his arm and walked out, he couldn’t help but smile when he watched her walk out, he swigged down the rest of his water and put the glass back down in the sink. Aaron stood still for a moment and soon got lost in thought, like Hayes had been dealing with for the past week, he too got lost in thought about this movie thing.

He gets why it had been bugging her so much, it was starting to dawn on him too. He had been so distracted lately, but her. By just being in total awe of her. Aaron took his phone out of his pocket. It was still pretty early, but he knew his agent would be up. Aaron clicked on him on his contacts and pressed call.

_“Hello?”_

“Rob. It’s me”

 _“Aaron! Hey kid, how’re you doing?”_ he heard Rob say with enthusiasm. He was always far too energetic in the morning. So much that Aaron often just felt drained.

“Yeah I’m good, listen I was hoping we could talk this afternoon”

_“Sounds fine to me. What about?”_

“Just about this movie and stuff” he said in a neutral tone to not hint any kind of concern or doubt. Which Rob bought and said as it was no skin off of his nose _“Alright, bud, well let’s say one o’clock? I got some meetings with other clients so can you hold it off till then?”_

“Yeah sounds fine I’ll see you then” Aaron nodded, hanging the phone up. He took another deep breath, what he was about to do was big. But he doubts that he would regret it. 

* * *

That evening, Hayes walked into Sam’s office. She hadn’t seen Aaron all day, or even heard from him. Through her own choice, she was getting this case done. Which he expected, she tends to just to focus on her work, it’s been like that for every case. She was surprised that he didn’t make one of his spot visits. But she also didn’t know he was with his agent.

Conner gave her the hardest thing she had to do. Fire Sam. She and Sam clashed more than anyone, but he challenged her, kept her on her toes and he was damn good at his job, she actually gained a liking for Sam, which makes this terrible. Especially when what he did with Landon was the right thing in a way.

“I’m sorry” were the first words she said to him.

“Bout what? Gerald’s a free man” Sam said, sitting back in the chair and giving her a proud smile at himself and the team.

Hayes sighed “You’re a liability”

Sam’s face slowly dropped, realizing what it was that she was doing, he knew that she was doing this through Conner’s orders. Sam could tell she didn’t want to do this, so he made it easy for her. He left with dignity, Sam nodded as he stood up “I understand”

As she watched him stand up, she briefly looked over her shoulder and caught onto an idea. Sam put his laptop in his bag “If I were Wallace, I’d do the same thing”

Hayes went with the idea in her head and quickly grabbed Sam, clashing her lips against his. She felt wrong doing it, but it was purely strategic and nothing else. Closing her eyes and pretending it wasn’t Sam she was kissing, but Aaron. Course Aaron was a better kisser which was now evident to her. She noticed him kissing her back, she always knew he had a thing for her. Hayes pushed him back and just looked to him, he seemed very taken back “The hell was that?”

“You’ve been sexually harassed by your boss, in front of a witness” Hayes said, both taking their eyes to the janitor who was staring at them. Sam smiled as he realized, she was a genius. Hayes looked back to him and shook her head “No-one’s firing you now”

He gave her a grateful nod. Hayes looked back to the janitor, and as she walked away there stood Conner. Looking boiling hot angry. Hayes took a deep breath and walked to the door, looking back to Sam “See you tomorrow, Sam”

Hayes walked out and down the hall to Conner. She had ever seen him look so mad, she just shrugged “Sorry” she went to walk away, when he quickly grabbed her wrist “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Let go of me, Wallace” she said sternly.

“No. I want answers. Now”

Conner was soon thrown away from Hayes, Aaron pushed him back and snarled “Touch her again and I’ll put you through the glass”

Conner groaned a sigh and went to go to Hayes, when Aaron stood in front of her and muttered “Try me”

Conner looked to Hayes and sighed “We’ll talk about this another time” he just turned and walked away. Hayes let out a breath with her hands around his arm, she pressed her forehead against it for a moment and the pulled away as he turned and pointed to Sam “Do you I have to kick his ass too?”

Hayes’s face dropped “You saw?”

“It’s all glass in here Hayes, yeah, I fucking saw” Aaron grumbled, walked away towards her office. Hayes quickly went after him and pulled on his arm when they got into the middle of her office “No, no, Aaron wait. Let me explain please”

Aaron turned and looked at her, Hayes took a moment and put her hands on his waist “I...Wallace told me that I had to fire Sam, but he’s an asset to my team and I needed to find a way to make it eligible for him to stay...so I did that because it’ll look like he’s a victim of sexual assault. Meaning he won't get fired. I'll get in trouble for it but I doubt Wallace will pursue anything, especially after what just happened” she took a breath, shaking her head “Aaron, it was _acting_ I swear”

Aaron glanced to Sam, who still looked fairly awkward, he looked back to her “Yeah?”

“Yes” Hayes whispered, putting her arms around his neck, being as close to him as possible, she pressed her forehead against his and whispered again “I only want you, baby. I swear”

Aaron took a breath. The more he thought about it, the more he saw reason. He knew what she was like, she was impulsive. And smart. What she just did was a mixture of the two. Aaron rubbed his lips together and nodded, as soon as he did, showing he was okay, she pressed her lips against his. She pulled away for a moment and then quickly kissed him again “Thank you for understanding-”

“I had a meeting with my agent”

Hayes pulled back for a moment to look into his eyes, she remained silent. Seeing im sigh and mutter “They want me to leave in a few days, instead of a few weeks”

“What?” Hayes gasped, her eyes suddenly filling up, she shook her head “No. Aaron they can’t get you to do that. It’s-”

“It’s not gonna happen” Aaron said boldly. Hayes’s brows pinched together, now being very confused “Wha...what are you talking about?”

“I went to see Rob to say something about the movie myself, he told that before I had the chance and if anything that sealed the debate in my mind” he looked to her again and then grew a small smile, shaking his head “I’m not doing the movie”

Hayes let out a tearful grin, looking at him and not knowing whether he was joking or not “Aaron I swear to god if you are joking-”

“I told Rob to cancel the deal with My Boy and to accept the deal for Fall to Rise. It’s a done deal, he wasn’t too pleased with me but I didn’t care”

“What made you-”

“You. Hayes...look, like you, I’m impulsive, I took that movie out of an impulse. I’m sticking by what I told you a few days ago, you’re more to me than money or career ranking. Besides, this movie sounds great and I get to stay here with you” Aaron laughed “I don’t know why I even debated it in the first place”

“You’re serious aren’t you?” Hayes said, still being held close by Aaron.

“I’m serious about you” Aaron smiled “So yeah, I’m serious when I say that I’m staying right here in New York, with you” he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist “That okay?”

Hayes had a tear run down her cheek. He’s honestly just give something huge up for her. She hugged onto him tight, Aaron stood up straight, still holding onto her causing her feet to come off the ground. Hayes pulled her head back and passionately kissed him. An outburst of butterflies setting off in her stomach, if someone had told her a few months ago she was going to have the best relationship she ever had in her life back, she was going to have back the first and only love of her life properly this time, no just fooling around and pretending there was no feelings. To put her heart back out on her sleeve. Well, she would tell them that they were crazy.

Hayes pulled her lips away and whispered “I love you, Smith”

Aaron grinned and nodded, with his lips still close to hers, he whispered back to her “I love you too, Morrison”

Hayes took her lips back to his and wrapped her arms tightly around him as he held her up and didn’t want to let her go again, now, he doesn’t have to.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Depending on the announcement that ABC make about the show, this might be the last chapter _for now_ if there is a season two and if the show is sadly cancelled I will be doing one more chapter to give Hayes and Aaron's relationship a real ending. **


	15. Chapter 15

_ 2 years later. _

Aaron sat in the arm chair with his head in his hands, his feet tapping at a fast, frequent pace. God he was nervous, no seriously he felt like he was going to have a damn panic attack. He wished Hayes was here right now. He was meant to leave in an hour. Aaron looked down to his shaking hands and groaned to himself “Fuck sake, stop it”

The front door opened, he then heard heeled footsteps make their way to the living room, he looked up and saw Hayes catch her breath, she raced from the car to the house as quick as possible. She dropped her bag and held her hands up as she walked towards him, cupped his cheeks and kissed him “Hi, baby, I’m so sorry I’m late I got here as fast as I could but the office were on call to me longer than I wanted cause I’m away and I-”

“It’s okay, I’m just glad you’re here” Aaron took a deep breath.

Hayes crouched down, with her hands on his legs and looked into his eyes “Aaron, look at me”

He took his eyes to her and she gently smiled “You’re going to do great, you’ve been waiting your whole life for this”

Aaron never thought he’d get nominated for an Academy Award from this movie. Not that it wasn’t great, it was fantastic. Hayes couldn’t believe how much Aaron had pushed himself as an actor in his performance he was phenomenal.  _ The  _ best he had ever done. But Aaron figured there would be so many competitors that it would have been blurred out. So it was a huge honour. But it also brought on his panic, it was the biggest moment of his life and tat scared the shit out of him. So much so that his anxiety was sky high, his brain was noisy again, making him nervous on something he might do that would make him look stupid.

“Aaron, no matter what happens tonight, just remember that I am so proud of you, you have to enjoy tonight, not be scared of it...I’ll be with you every step of the way” Hayes leaned him and pressed her lips firmly against his forehead and muttered “The car is coming in an hour, I’m going to get in my dress. Do my make up, make sure I look insanely hot for you tonight, and then we will get this show on the road”

Aaron took another deep breath and nodded, giving her a smile, he kissed her hand and held onto it till she was too far away then he had to let go. After a while he stood up and paced up and down the living room. If he did it much longer he may put burns through it. They stayed in the penthouse of the hotel that Aaron stays in when he's in LA for work.

They bought a house and moved in together just over a year ago back in New York. It wasn’t some grand mansion, but it certainly didn’t come cheap either. With their salery though, they could afford it no problem. It was modern and very stylish. It was  _ them _ . And only a ten minute drive into the city. They also had a beach house in the hamptons, where they promised each other they’d go to soon enough for a break.

Award season was tiring for the both of them, and obviously with Hayes having her work on top of it. It was exhausting, she had to miss out on some nights. Just recently she had to let him survive the SAG awards alone. But he was fine with that, award shows usually didn’t send him into panic mode, but this was the big leagues. Win an Oscar and you go down in cinematic history. He rubbed his hands together so much that they too began to burn. His hands then fidgeted into his pockets.

Soon enough Hayes came out, wearing a white, figure cutting dress and went all the way down to her angles. Her hair was down, wavy and swept to one side along with wearing ruby red lipstick. She looked like a damn angel is he ever saw one. It was enough to make him smile, she grinned to him as she walked out of their bedroom, holding onto her clutch back, she took out a small cube that had that all sorts of little gadgets on it. Hayes gently slapped it into his hand “I bought you this for a reason, use it”

She came across these cubes online, each face of the cube had little things to play with. Or fidget as the site says. It was to help with anxiety, focusing your nerves onto it helps keep you calm. Aaron at first thought it was a load of crap, but it actually was surprisingly effective. Aaron smiled to her “Thanks, baby”

Hayes slid her hand in his, entwining their fingers, she leaned forward and lightly kissed up, looking into his eyes she said “This is  _ your  _ night. So be the Aaron Smith I fell in love with and fucking own it”

“I’ll try” he smiled, kissing the top of her head and then looking down to her “You look  _ so  _ beautiful” his arms went around her waist “I’m the luckiest guy there is”

Their drive suddenly honked his horn outside to signal his arrival. Hayes groaned as Aaron’s nose pressed against her temple, she put her hand on his stomach and gave him a light push “Let’s get this show on the road shall we?”

Aaron took another breath and nodded “Yeah”

* * *

They got outside and got in their car. On their way to the venue of the awards. Aaron held Hayes hand with one and used the cube she gave him with the other. She smirked and gloated as she looked out the window “I told you”

“You tell me a lot of things”

“Like you’re going to win?”

“Quit it” He laughed “I’m just focusing on the booze to drown my sorrows”

Hayes looked to him and squeezed harder “You keep talking like that and I will break your hand”

Aaron raised his brows “Scary”

“I like to think so” Hayes whispered, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his, his hand gripping to her waist and pulling her close. Hayes rubbed her nose against his and wiped the faint mark of lipstick over his mouth. Luckily his bear was there so that it didn’t show up, he laughed and dragged his palm down his mouth. Hayes rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been a whirlwind of two years. Aaron’s film was filmed and made into a production in the first year, then was released summer last year and now here they were. Since then, she also earned a higher status. Conner Wallace’s in fact. She was now the District Attorney. Rightfully so. Conner reported her for what happened with her and Sam, it would bring up so much hassle it wasn’t worth it. Since then, he went on to put himself up for Mayor, like she always knew he set out to do. Son of a bitch actually got it. Good for him, at least he was out of her hair. She felt like she was her own boss. Hayes still included herself in the CIU. But it was Sam who mostly took the reins now, just like he always wanted. It all worked out.

Aaron stroked her arm with his gentle fingertips, with her rested her head on his shoulder. Till finally, they came to the red carpet. Aaron looked to her and she smiled, nudging his shoulder “We’ve got this”

Aaron smiled to her and nodded, he got out the car and then as usual, held his hand out for her to take. Hayes threaded her fingers in his as they walked down the red carpet, stopping for photos together, then separately. Interviews together and sometimes separately, then huddling back together again. It was the same kind of questions every time. Doing interviews together was always better, it was always more fun. For the interviewers as well, watching Hayes and Aaron bounce back and forth from their banter was something people could watch for hours.

“So you turned down My Boy two years ago for this movie, one of your rivals for this award is Zac Efron, who you  _ handed  _ the role down to. Does it make you nervous?”

Aaron looked to Hayes as he scratched the back of his head and then shrugged as he dropped his hand “No. Y’know I took this movie for various reasons, one was to stay close to this woman to my right and also because out of the two, it was the one that I personally liked first...but um. No I’m not nervous, Zac was in the same boat that I was in, y’know? Being classed as that teen heartthrob and both of us have worked hard to get more serious roles so” he shrugged “If he gets it, it’s well deserved”

“Have you seen My Boy?”

“Yeah we went to go see it when it came out didn’t we?” he said, looking at Hayes who just nodded to him and then added in a quiet voice “It was really good”

“Yeah it was really good, um-”

“Not as good as yours of course” Hayes said with a smirk as she gazed at him, he laughed and nodded “Of course-but yeah like Hayes said it was a great film and I always knew that, so if it wins in whatever category it sure is a worthy winner. But for me...my character grew important to me because of it representing bisexuality with my character from the get go being open with being bisexual”

“And why do you feel that’s important? I agree but just to get your view”

“Yeah well it’s important because it’s real” Aaron shrugged “Y’know, it’s not invalid. I mean, this beautiful woman next to me who...who I’m lucky enough to call my girlfriend is bisexual so I felt that, with me” Aaron looked to Hayes and smiled as he carried on “With me thinking the absolute world of her” he looked back to the interviewer “I love everything about her, including her sexuality so for me on a personal level I felt proud in representing something that my, my _ lovely lady _ is  _ part of _ ”

Hayes smiled and teased “God, well said” she looked to the interviewer as she laugh and said “That really was off the cuff too, I’m impressed”

Aaron nudged her and then put his arm around her back. They thanked the interviewer and walked away. Hayes leaned closer to him and then said “I think we’re getting the hang of all of this”

“You’ve definitely worked on your people skills” he said, kissing the top of her head as they walked down the red carpet.

Soon enough, they were called in to take their seats as the ceremony was about to begin, Aaron stuck his shaking hand in his pocket and his other held onto Hayes, he looked to her as she gave him another small smile and whispered “No turning back now”

She gave him another playful nudge forward and they walked in. They took their seats. Beside Aaron was Kate Hudson. He wasn’t complaining and beside Hayes was Eddie Redmayne.  _ She  _ wasn’t complaining.

Aaron leaned to her and whispered “I’m up against people like him, there’s no way”

Hayes looked into his eyes, resting her chin on his shoulder, she whispered back “He’s already got one, he can’t be a hogger”

Aaron laughed and shook his head “I don’t think that’s how it works”

“Well” Hayes gently kissed him “It should”

“Well Miss District Attorney. Maybe you should look into that if I lose”

“You’re not gonna lose” Hayes raised her brows to him, with a smile as she put her hand on his cheek and leaned further towards him, kissing him again, then muttering against his lips “Trust me”

“Never trust a Morrison” Aaron teased as he shook his head, pulling it back as she swatted his chest and they both faced the front.

The show went on and on, it almost numbed Aaron from what he was really here for. Till his on screen big sister for this film, Julia Roberts stepped on the stage to announce the winner of Best Actor in a Leading Role. Hayes slipped her hand back into his and squeezed onto it tight.

They showed clips of each nominee. The one they showed of Aaron especially was a personal favourite of Hayes, his acting was so raw in it and shook her to the core the first time she saw it, the academy did a good job in picking good scenes. The scenes for the three other gentlemen were also very strong.

Aaron swallowed thickly and took a deep breath, staring straight ahead, whereas Hayes had her eyes locked on him. She suddenly just thought about the past eleven years they have had together, six of them being very much of a grey area but still they were part of it all. And these past two years was like being in a damn fairytale believe it or not. She couldn’t, she was never one for fairytales. Neither of them were, but now that they were growing up, it was less about just doing reckless things and a  _ lot  _ of sex. They still do the second thing, but the reckless stuff? Not so much. They still had their moments, but with age grew more maturity. Something they didn’t have when all of this first started.

_ Two days ago. _

_ Harper walked in Hayes and Aaron’s home to see Hayes packing her bags. Immediately jumping to a conclusion, she rushed over and hugged her “Oh Hayes, what happened?” _

_ Hayes quickly pulled away from the attempt of her mother’s embrace and looked at her, confused “What?” _

_ “Where are you going?” Harper sighed with worry. Hayes shrugged “LA” _

_ “So far? If anything he should go-” _

_ “What the hell are you talking about, mom?” Hayes then had a sudden realisation. She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she looked back down to the suitcase “We haven’t split up, mom. Clearly you didn’t listen to me again when I told you months ago that Aaron got a nomination for his boxing movie” _

_ “Oh...I-” _

_ “You just jumped to the conclusion that we’d messed things up” Hayes said “Like you always expected us to do” she zipped up the case and muttered “Not only do you and dad never expected me to succeed but you never expected him too either” _

_ She dropped the case on the ground and pulled the handle up, looking back to Harper and saying “Well, look at us now. District Attorney and Oscar Nominee making a life together. Not exactly what you predicted would happen, is it? Now I have to go, I’m picking Aaron up and then we’re going to the airport. Unless you wanted something, Senator” _

_ “Hayes don’t be like that” _

_ “You never listen to me, evidently. You never thought I would get here. What am I supposed to be like, if I’m honest with you, mom. Do both me and Aaron a favour and just stay in DC” _

Both Aaron and Hayes put their beady eyes to the envelope as it was opened. Aaron watched as his co-stars eyes lit up, she looked right at him and said in a gentle voice “Baby brother, you better get up here. Because the Oscar goes to Aaron Smith”

Hayes’s head snapped to Aaron as he just looked in total shock, he then looked to her with a smile on his face yet still in disbelief. She stood as he did and wrapped her arms around his neck, she was actually crying. Hayes grinned and whispered into his ear “I told you”

Aaron pulled back and smiled to her before pressed his lips against hers, as she wiped her lipstick off his mouth he whispered “Thank you”

“Now go on” Hayes smirked, Aaron past her after a moment, shaking Eddie Redmayne’s hand as he past him. Everyone stood for him. When he got up to the stage he gave a huge bear hug to Julia Roberts as she rubbed his back with a laughing grin. They handed him the award and Aaron stood there in front of the podium, actually having to give a speech for winning this.

He looked up to the audience and then laughed, saying to himself in a high tone “ _ What _ ? Okay um” he looked to Hayes, who was now seated with everyone else, she gave him an encouraging smile and nodded to him, he then gave her a nod and actually managed to speak   
“Look I...I don’t know how the-I can’t swear-how this happened I really don’t. The group of guys I was up against did an amazing job and they all deserve this most likely more than I do but…this movie was very important to me. It’s a film that is about hopes, dreams and all love. Love being accepted in all forms which is what we as a society should no longer be afraid to show” he stared down at the award after the audience scream their applauds to him, he looked at it and shook his head “I didn’t come here, expecting win at all, which I knew is a cliche but I honestly didn’t. I am very much new to this part of the award winning season. Right I’ll thank people because there are so many people to thank. Well first off, thanks to the Academy I don’t know what you were thinking but I’m certainly grateful. My amazing co-stars in this film. Julia, Margot, Harrison, Dwayne and all the crew you know who you are just thank you for making this experience the best movie experience I have ever had. Thank you to my big brother who is tucked up at home in Chicago with my gorgeous sister in law and nephew. My parents who aren’t with us anymore but I know are watching over me” he looked up to the ceiling and raised the award for a moment as the audience clapped to him “Something tells me they put in a good word for me to win this thing um…”

He paused as they laughed, gathering his thoughts again, he looked over to Hayes and smiled “And I’m not going to forget this woman. Mostly because she’d kill me if I did and she is a lawyer I’m pretty sure she’d get away with it. Thank you to my beautiful, fierce and wonderful girlfriend. Hayes Morrison. You and I have been running round in circles with each other for nearly twelve years and I wouldn’t have had it any other way, without you I seriously would not be stood here right now, you’ve always believed in me and I love you more than anything in this world, so thank you for being you because you’re amazing” he then looked back to the audience “Thank you, have a great night everyone”

Everyone stood back up and cheered him along, Hayes clapping the loudest as tears ran down her cheeks.

* * *

Later on, Hayes was allowed backstage to find Aaron getting his award engraved with his name. She howled her way over to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and then clashed her lips against his, which got many shots taken from all different camera angles.

She gripped onto his suit jacket, after a long while, she took her lips away and smiled to him “That was quite some speech”

“Off the top of my head” he laughed “I did have something written down but that just all spilled out”

“Certainly got a good reaction” Hayes raised her brows to im and rested her arms on his shoulders, looking his Academy Award and smirked “It’ll go good on the mantlepiece”

“Right next to the flowers” Aaron laughed, pressing his lips against her cheek. Then whispering in her ear “Right now I just can’t wait to go home with you”

Hayes giggled and rolled her eyes “Is that all you think about?”

“I don’t mean  _ that _ ”

Hayes raised a brow to him. Aaron tutted and then he too rolled his eyes “Okay well maybe I mean a little bit of that” Hayes pressed her head against the side of his for a moment as she let a laugh slip out and then looked back up to him as he said “But what I  _ really  _ meant was, this day as been so hectic and so exhausting that I just can’t wait to get back to the hotel and just be with you, and then go back to our cushy home tomorrow”

Hayes ran her hands to his chest and said “Well what we do in that case is to get kinda drunk, the night will go quicker that way”

“You’re a fucking genius” Aaron muttered, pressing his lips against hers again and adding on “No wonder I want to marry you”

Hayes swatted his arm and gave him a small push as he picked up his now engraved award. Hayes looked to him and smiled “Suits you”

Aaron turned his head to her and whispered before kissing her again “You suit me”

* * *

They got back at one am. The after party was great and it was still on going. But all Aaron really wanted to do was just be with Hayes. And they weren’t too tired for their own after party. Hayes kicked off her shoes as soon as she walked into the hotel. Hearing Aaron trail in behind her. Hayes put her hands on her hips and asked before turning around “You put the award down?”

“Yeah?” he asked with curiosity. Hayes nodded and said breathlessly “Good” she spun around and gripped onto him, clashing her lips onto his and pulling him towards the bed. Taking hot and heavy breaths in between their kisses, letting out an eager tone as she pulled his suit jacket off and tossed it to the side, quickly unbuttoning his shirt and raking her nails down his ripped stomach.

Aaron kissed her neck and whispered in a deep breath “I wanted to rip this off of you the moment I saw you in it”

Hayes laughed breathlessly “Cost you a few thousand dollars”

“Got plenty of that” Aaron groaned, gripping hard onto her dress and the back and tearing it. Breaking her zip. Hayes let out an overwhelmed and pleased gasped. Hayes pressed her hands against his cheeks and grinned as she roughly kissed him again. Pulling him down onto the bed. Hayes bit his bottom lip and moaned as his hands traveled her body. He quickly got her out of the dress. His boxers pressed against her bare hips, she quickly got rid of them.

It was a good job they had the penthouse. Because her screams would have woken everyone up. People may be wondering what is was she was agreeing about so many times. Hayes left scratch marks on his back and bite marks on his shoulder. Some nights it’s loving and tender, the other nights. Well. It goes like this.

Hayes pressed her palm against the mattress as she let out deep breaths on top of Aaron’s body before collapsing down onto him. Aaron swept her hair to the side and kissed the side of her neck that was now bare. More soft and gentle compared to before. Hayes pressed her lips against his sweaty chest and then said as she continued to catch her breath “Winning awards certainly gives you a kick”

“Makes me nearly as much as an animal as you” Aaron said, referring to the marks she has left on his body. Hayes laughed breathlessly and sucked on his collarbone before whispering “You fucking love it”

Aaron nodded and then muttered as she lay beside him “I fucking love you”

He turned his head to her and saw her smile, nod and whisper “I love you too”

Hayes got up, putting one of his t-shirts on as she quickly went to the bathroom. Aaron stared at the door for a moment and a few seconds after, glanced to the side of him and went to reach for his draw when she suddenly came back out. On her phone she read out headlines “Aaron Smith and Hayes Morrison cannot keep their hot hands off each other backstage after he wins his first Academy award”

She flashed him the pictures of the pair of them kissing by the engraving station backstage and then went on to mock a stereotypical teenage _white girl_ voice “Like O-M-G. Aaron Smith and Hayes Morrison are totes the cutest couple at the Academy awards and probably this decade! Best love story eva”

Aaron gently chuckled as she walked over to the bed and said “I think we have done well for ourselves”

He nodded and gave her a loving smile as she climbed back into bed beside him.  Aaron pressed his lips against her shoulder and looked up to her as he did so. Then pulling back, he rubbed his lips together and muttered “I meant what I said y’know”

Hayes looked at him, confused on what part he was referring to that he meant. Aaron then clarified “When I said I wanted to marry you”

A nervous laugh escaped Hayes’s lips “Aaron please”

“I’m serious”

Hayes’s eyes stuck to his. She didn’t laugh, make a snarky remark. She just looked at him, gazing into his eyes. Knowing he meant every word. Aaron took a breath through his nose and cleared his throat. He sat up in bed, with the bed sheet falling over his bare waist. He stretched over to his bedside draw. After shuffling around it. To her absolute surprise. He took out a little black box. Causing her to shoot up “Aaron”

Aaron turned and looked at her, she glanced to it and then to him “The hell is that?”

“You know what it is”

Aaron straightened himself up “To give myself a little more dignity I’m just gonna” he grabbed his boxers and slipped them on, then laughing to himself “Can’t have you telling people I did this naked”

He got back up on the bed properly and saw her still gobsmacked face. Aaron softly smiled and knelt up to her “Hayes”

Hayes held her hand up and slowly shook her head, with her jaw still slightly hanging “Don’t”

Aaron smirked, ignoring her comment, he opened the box up to show the ring “Will you marry me?”

Hayes stared at him, with her hand still up and then dropped into an overwhelmed grin. He really wasn’t screwing around. Hayes looked to the ring, it was simple and elegant. A square diamond with a small cluster of more diamonds at the side of it. She looked back into his eyes “You little shit. Did you plan to do this tonight?”

“I actually just kinda carry this around whenever we go somewhere in case there is the perfect moment, and right now this feels like it’s it. I think my speech from before can vouch for my proposal since I meant every damn word. We both were scared of commitment when it wasn’t with each other, and I know we are going to be together for the rest of our lives so why not celebrate that the right way?”

Hayes felt herself getting emotional. Damn him for doing this to her, she knew he was going to it eventually, despite everything, Aaron was fairly traditional when it came to this kind of thing. She never really believed in marriage, like he said, when they weren’t together. When she was with him, she imagined marrying him. Whenever she has ever pictured marriage, it has been with him. Even when she tried to date different people, she could only ever imagine marrying him. Aaron cleared his throat and whispered “Put me outta my misery, Ace. Cause in my head last time you threw it in my face and said no”

Hayes closed her eyes and smiled for a moment, she slowly leaned towards him and cupped his bearded face, whispering before pressing her lips to his “Of course I will, you idiot”

Aaron wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her deeply. Hayes laced her fingers through his hair before gripping onto it. 

They pulled away and Aaron let out a breathless laugh “You will”

“I will. God, I will I love you”

“I love you so much, Hayes” Aaron kissed her and then took her left hand. Slipping the ring on her finger. She grinned and then muttered as she gazed at it “Feels weird”

“Good weird, I hope”

“Definitely a good weird” Hayes looked back to him and pressed her lips against his. Aaron felt he could burst with happiness “This, right there, this is the best moment of my life. Better than any award I could ever get given”

“Sappy bastard” Hayes laughed as she pulled back down on the bed with her.

“Hayes Morrison I’m gonna make an honest woman out of you” he teased, rubbing his nose against hers and then hearing her say “You haven’t managed to do that in twelve years I doubt the rest of your life will be enough”

Aaron grumbled a laugh and nodded “Challenge accepted, Ace”

Hayes almost felt like she has never felt true happiness until tonight. She thought she felt it when she Aaron first got together, then when they got back together for good two years ago. But no, it was this right here. A happiness that she has never felt from her family, never in all her life has she felt like this and she thought she never would feel it. But he surprised her all the time. Constantly. After everything, after twelve years of being pulled away.

She finally had him. Officially for good.

At last Hayes Morrison felt truly complete.

* * *

**A part of me is quite sad that I am posting this because that means that Conviction is cancelled. The news got out a few days ago, I will miss the show and the characters in it. I will also miss writing about these two. So I hope you enjoyed the ending I felt like they deserved after twelve rocky years.**

**Thank you for reading and for all the insanely lovely comments.**


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